BCinDC & the 2011 Convention

Author Archive

For those Markeroons who joined us on snarfari in downtown Washington and Alexandria, you might be having trouble remembering what all those buildings you visited were. If you would like a full list, please click here. If you have any difficulty downloading the PDF file, please email or PM us. Thanks!

Bring home part of the convention with this exclusive DVD! Included:

• Interviews with authors Paulo Bacigalupi, Supriya Bhatnagar, Ellen Booraem, Emma Bull, Karen Cushman, Chris D’Lacey, Laura Anne Gilman, Jack the Kitten, Sebastian Jones, Jon Fasman, Laura Klotz, Robert Krammes, Linda Raven Moore, Liza Palmer, Catherine M. Petrini, Jon Morgan Petrini, Mike Resnick, Dr. Lawrence Schoen, Rochelle Hollander Schwab, Will Shetterly, Jeri Smith-Ready, Maria V. Snyder, Christopher Stasheff, Leah Stewart, and Margaret Weis
• BCinDC’s Bally Book becomes a Star: our entry in the BookCrossing Video Contest.
• Behind the Scenes at Fairfax County Public Libraries
• A Markeroni Primer for BookCrossers
• And more!

Professionally edited by Eleanore Stasheff and featuring music by Binary Souls / Other Dimensions, this is one DVD you don’t want to miss!

Price Guide:

• In person/at the convention: $2 cash or check
• PayPal (USA; shipping included): $5
• PayPal (int’l; shipping included): $8

The small print: PayPal prices include shipping. DVDs are only available in Region 1 format.  All orders placed before the convention will be shipped on Tuesday, April 19, 2011.  You do NOT have to be a BookCrosser to purchase (or enjoy) this DVD.

Please note: We are NOT making any money on this. Purchasing this DVD will not affect the fund meter on the convention website. If by some miracle we manage to cover our production costs, any profit will be given to those who so generously donated their time and resources. We are offering this one-of-a-kind feature because we love it and want to share it. We hope you love it too.

Last August, ResQgeek‘s daughter Becky (aka N-R-Jyzer) was struck and killed while riding her bicycle. We at BCinDC are organizing a memorial release on what would have been her 10th birthday: February 14, 2011. Always giving of love and hugs, Becky is remembered as embodying the true spirit of Valentine’s Day. The theme of our release in her honor is hugs, hearts, and Valentine’s day. Becky loved Winnie-the-Pooh, so we will be releasing those and other children’s books as well.

Date: February 14, 2011
Theme: Hugs, hearts, Valentine’s Day, Winnie-the-Pooh, children’s books
Release notes: Please include a link to the Becky’s Hugs facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beckys-Hugs/147053868666518) in the JE for the release.

If you are in the area, BCinDC is holding a release walk in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, at 7:00pm that evening. We will meet at La Madeleine at 500 King St. (at the corner of King and Pitt), then walk down King Street and up N. Union St. to end at Becky’s tree in Founder’s Park. Please let us know if you will be joining us so we know to wait for you.

Memorial labels are available at the supply store.

We hope you will join us in remembering Becky.

This post is part 15 of our Wednesday Adventure Series. Each week we will highlight something different in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, many of which will be options for part of your own BookCrossing Journey. With so many things to see and do, how will you choose?

The area surrounding Washington, D.C., was a tumultuous place during the American Civil War, as the Union capitol was located right on the border of the Confederacy. The Battle of Chancellorsville, just one of the major conflicts in the area, took place what is now about an hour’s drive from Washington.

In late April, 1863, Union (Northern) General Joseph Hooker and his troops crossed the Rappahannock River in two places, planning to attack the Confederate (Southern) position from both sides. Hooker fully expected his enemies to retreat in the face of his nearly 115,000 Union soldiers advancing. Though heavily outnumbered with just under 60,000 troops, General Robert E. Lee led his Confederate forces to confront Hooker’s troops. After splitting off two groups under Generals Jubal Early and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, respectively, Lee marched on Chancellorsville, Virginia, where Hooker had halted his advance to await additional troops.

After a skirmish with Jackson’s troops, Hooker fell back into a defensive position at Chancellorsville, losing any offensive advantage he may have had. Through a number of maneuvers intended to lure Hooker into believing the Confederates were in retreat, Lee and his forces attacked the Union soldiers from multiple directions.

The fighting lasted nearly a week, resulting in the deaths of about 24,000 men, including General Jackson. Though there were almost twice as many Union troops as Confederates involved in this battle, the Confederates eventually won the Battle of Chancellorsville, driving Hooker back north across the Rappahannock River in defeat.

If this all sounds a bit familiar, you’ve probably read The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Though the battle in the novel is not named, it parallels the Battle of Chancellorsville. Needless to say, it makes a great themed release. Likewise with Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara, a novel which covers much of the American Civil War prior to the Battle at Gettysburg.

One of the options you can choose from for the Sunday of the BookCrossing Convention is a tour of this battlefield led by BookCrosser and local historian nat4lee. If you would like to join us there, please sign up on the add-ons page. Can’t make it? Check out the National Park Service’s virtual tour of the area.