(828) 456-8062
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184 N. Main Street
Waynesville , North Carolina 28786
Shop hours: Mon-Friday: 10-5:30, Saturday: 10-9:00 PM


 

 
 

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Remember that Osondu Booksellers, your local indie bookstore, is here for all your gift needs this year! Short on time? Let us create a gift basket for you!
 

A Taste of Tea - Posts from Scott

Polls

Welcome to Osondu Booksellers
Haywood County Bookmania PDF Print E-mail
Written by Margaret Osondu   
Friday, 05 June 2009 23:35

 

Osondu Booksellers will host the Fourth Haywood County Bookmania on Saturday August August 1st 2009 from 9:00 to 5:oo.  In the years 2005-2007, Bookmania was an annual Waynesville event envisioned and planned by Osondu Booksellers’ owner Margaret Osondu and with the Mountain Writers Alive group.  Over Fifty authors gathered for the first Saturday of August each year at the Haywood County Justice Center.  Admission was free and county residents and tourists came by the hundreds to hear authors talk about their work and read from their books.  The event was attended by new and veteran Southern authors, but authors also came from as far away as New York to be a part of Bookmania.                        Owner Margaret Osondu has acknowledged that an event this size is a huge undertaking for one local business, but commented, “I feel a responsibility to create an environment that fosters the love of reading.  I believe that creating a literary venue like Bookmania is terrific for our community.”            When planning the event last year, Osondu discovered that the Justice Center would no longer be available for public events like Bookmania.  The lack of an adequate space, coupled with unexpected family responsibilities led Osondu to the decision not to host Bookmania in 2008.  “I knew people would miss Bookmania, but I never expected our store to be inundated with calls and emails from authors and customers asking for details on the event.  I didn’t realize how many people were planning their vacations to Waynesville to coincide with Bookmania!  Clearly, the event was missed much more than I had anticipated.”            Nothing surprised Osondu more than when two member of the First Presbyterian Church in Waynesville came to Osondu Booksellers to offer their church’s fellowship hall and educational space as a venue for Bookmania.  The church governing body had already voted to extend an official invitation. Ron Tingle, an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Waynesville explained what had transpired at the church. “Our congregation saw the Mountaineer article about Bookmania and was saddened that such a meaningful Main Street event was off the calendar, simply for lack of space.  It quickly became clear to us that we have a fellowship hall, we have classrooms for author seminars and we're on Main Street!  Let's offer our location and see what happens.  We can't let Bookmania just disappear!  Besides, we want to remind people that the church with the red roof really is a nice place to gather.  The Osondu family took us up on the offer and the folks here at First Presbyterian are just tickled that Bookmania will have a home.” “After I got passed the initial surprise of such a generous offer, I was thrilled that Bookmania could continue as a community event.  Having the First Presbyterian church partner with us to provide this literary festival has made the preparations so much easier.  We are very grateful to the members of First Presbyterian for being so willing to be open to the community and share their space with us,” said Osondu. 

This year’s Bookmania will include local and visiting authors.  The books offered will include fiction, local history, children’s books, mystery and much more.  Author readings, panel discussions, and a writer’s workshop will be held during the day.  The church will have food and beverages for sale to benefit the church.  A reception for the authors will be held on Friday evening, July 31 at Osondu Booksellers.  Tickets for the reception are available from the book store for $15 each.  Admission to Saturday’s Bookmania is free.  For more information

It's back! Haywood County Bookmania is returning thanks to generosity of Waynesville's First Presbytarian Church. Mark your calendar for August 1st 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We expect 40-45 regional authors and readers from all over. There will be a couple of surprises for the day so be sure to come and stay. Readings, story-telling, and refreshments will be available too.

If you would like to donate to our media fund please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 July 2009 21:36 )
 
note from Allison Best-Teague PDF Print E-mail
Written by Margaret Osondu   
Thursday, 09 April 2009 19:45

Children’s Books at Osondu’s

 

One of the many things I love about my job is choosing children’s, young adult and teen books for the store.  Even better is helping customers select one of these books for themselves or a young person in their life.  If you have been to Osondu’s any time recently, you know that our children’s section has moved up front and has greatly expanded.  New subsections have been added to help you enjoy browsing even more.

 

Here are some things you might want to come in and take a look at.

 

North Carolina Fiction and Non-Fiction  

Our favorites in this section include works by Gloria Houston and Kerry Madden.  Margaret discovered a wonderful line of books that uses games, puzzles and coloring pages to teach kids all about North Carolina. 

  Poetry and Rhymes 

Education specialists tell us that reading poetry and rhymes to young children can help prepare them to learn to read.  These books make wonderful gifts when you want to buy one book for a family with more than one child, or if you are buying for a child with a short attention span.   My favorite brand new title in this section is More Pocket Poems by Bobbi Katz.

  Non-Fiction

Let your kids know that non-fiction does not mean boring.  Check out our kids’ non-fiction book case and you’ll find sections on science and nature, history, biography, sports, and games and puzzles.  Consider giving a book of games and puzzles to encourage a reluctant reader.

 Picture Books

 Picture books still reign supreme.  My current favorite is Wombat Walkabout.  Set in Australia, this rhyming book recounts the adventure of six wombats who must keep themselves from becoming the lunch of a hungry dingo.

 Teen Shelf

 In this section you’ll find fiction for teens, along with a few good non-fiction books that deal with important issues, and some popular graphic novels.  Adults shouldn’t overlook this section.  There are some very gifted authors writing for teens.  I highly recommend Wintergirls by New York Times Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson.  It explores one girl’s struggle with anorexia after her close friend dies of the disease.  It is an amazing novel to be read by teens and adults.

 

There’s even more in our children’s section, but you’ll have to come see for yourself.

 

In case you are wondering I also read adult books.  Two recent favorites include:

The novel Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and the memoir Annie’s Ghost by  Steve Luxenberg.  Verghese’s book is available now as is Annie's Ghost. 

   
Last Updated ( Friday, 05 June 2009 23:45 )
 
margaret's notes #50 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Margaret Osondu   
Saturday, 30 May 2009 14:53
Dear Readers:
It seems I have confused lots of you about the idea of adopting Osondu Booksellers. Let me see if I can better explain what I mean.
Many people live in areas where there is not a local bookseller. If you have a friend or relative in one of those areas I would love it if you asked them to use Osondu Booksellers as their personal bookseller.
Once I get to know them I will be able to recommend books, send them special offers etc. If your friend or family member adopts Osondu Booksellers to be their personal bookshop by purchasing their books through us I will give you a gift card from our shop for $5.00. when I receive their first order for S25.00 or more.  Every new person you refer who "adopts"us as their bookseller and orders S25.00 or more in books I will give you a $5 dollar gift card.
I hope this clarifies this better. :) 
Folks have started to bring in used books and it is great. Bring in yours if you like any day is fine. If I am not there you will have to wait until I come in to find out the credit value of the books. We now have a section in the back for used books.
Mystery lovers unite for a coffee and mystery this Tuesday the 2nd of June @ 10:00 a.m. This is the first meeting to choose books and talk about your favorite mystery writers. There are some wonderful mystery writers in the region and you can have one come to your club at the shop in the future. I can help you find them. :)
Important News about Tea!
It is here this Friday May 29th @ 7:00 p.m. Scott Osondu and Scott Prescott from Rishi Tea will host a fabulous tea tasting with great discounts and door prizes too.
Saturday the 30th @11:00 a.m. will be a more informal tea tasting with excellent discounts.  Come and stock up for the summer.


 
This week's events 
Friday the 29th
@ 7:00 p.m. tea tasting
Saturday the 30th
@ 11:00 a.m. tea tasting
@ 3:00 p.m. meet the author Sarah Addison Allen
Sarah Addison is the author of Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. Come out support Sarah by attending her signing. If you have never read her books or met her you will be so happy you came. If you have read and met her you will be thrilled to see her again. :)
@7:00 p.m Music with Lorraine Conard
This is our last Saturday night of music. So come in join us in thanking Lorraine for the year of music she has provided on Saturdays.
 We will see Lorraine on many of the Friday Art after Dark evenings.
Tuesday June 2nd
@10:00 a.m. Mystery Book Club first meeting. All our welcome.
 
I am reading Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder coming out in August.
Eat
Sleep
Read
Margaret Osondu
Osondu Booksellers
 
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