The other day, I stopped in to Barnes and Noble in Salem, NH to peruse their magazine section.  To be honest, I wondered if they still had a decent selection. It had been quite a while since I was last inside a book store.  Much to my surprise, and total satisfaction, they had racks and racks of magazines. Just look at the featured photo and here is another partial section.

These were just two out of maybe a dozen racks. I was thrilled to be standing amid so many options and felt a weird giddiness as my eyes darted from one publication to the next. I found magazines on the most obscure subjects. For example, Bead & Jewellry Magazine (yes, Jewellry is spelled correctly!) and Cardmaking & Papercraft Magazine. These and many others got me thinking, they print magazines for that? Clearly I’m not a crafty type. And I wondered, how in the heck do these publications stay afloat?

However they do it, I’m glad they do.  I absolutely love flipping through a good magazine. Having so many choices all around me affirmed my longstanding belief that no matter how many reports say print is dead, I say it isn’t. Yes, the audience for these fabulous paper products may have substantially diminished in size, but an audience still exists – of that I am sure.

We all know the folks who talk about the joy of holding a book in their hands and feeling the texture of the paper as they flip the pages. I’m one of those people and I know many more just like me. I also know many people, both young and old, who read exclusively online. Some may be reading this right now. While they may be contributing to the print is dead belief system, I do understand their choice. Kindles, Nooks, iPads or whatever digital device tickles their fancy are convenient, less bulky and likely offer more choices. But my tired eyes need a break now and then. A good old printed magazine, book or catalog is just the thing I enjoy when my screen time has reached its max.

After my latest stop in to Barnes and Noble, the old brick and mortar book store may have found themselves a new regular customer. I truly enjoyed taking my time sifting through the magazine racks looking for what I needed and more of what I didn’t.

What’s your opinion? Do you think print is dead?

Thanks for reading and, yes, I’m aware that by blogging I’m contributing to the demise of print media. Sorry beloved books and magazines, but I do still love you.

The blog will be on break next week. See you back on Tuesday, April 25^th when I start a new post schedule of every Tuesday & Thursday.

For those of you doing something fun during April break, Enjoy! And Happy Easter, Passover and Christos Anesti to all of those celebrating.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my first giveaway.

Storm Stella may have knocked out power, but it hasn’t knocked out our Irish Spirit.

The party must go on…

The previously scheduled St. Patrick’s Day Party at Helen Thomas Andover is happening tonight from 6-9pm. If you are local, be sure to swing in and enjoy the festivities.

Time:               6:00-9:00pm
Where:            Helen Thomas, 90 Main St. #2, Andover, MA 01810
What:              Irish Specialty Items, book signing by Ellen Alden, Irish Music and refreshments.

Despite the event delay, we went ahead and ran the blog giveaway contest as originally scheduled, last night at 8pm.

The lucky winner of the trio of Irish themed gifts is: Meghan Londergan

And the winner of the beautiful Lola Celtic necklace is: Patricia Donahue

Congratulations and enjoy your wonderful items.

Please contact me directly at bethdaigle13@gmail.com to arrange receipt of your prize.

I wish you all a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow and a special thank you to Lisa Schiavone, owner of Helen Thomas Andover, for collaborating with me on this giveaway.

***UDPATE – THE HELEN THOMAS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO THURSDAY 3/16 FROM 6-9PM***

I am excited to run my first blog giveaway here at 3 Olives & a Twist. Together with Helen Thomas of Andover and local author, Ellen Alden, I have two great prizes to give away.

For Anyone

First, I have a trio of great Irish themed gifts.

♣ A cute pair of “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” message socks, designed by Heather Jacobs, are just the thing to wear when you’re ready to kick up and pucker up.

♣ This Lucky Shamrock wine glass, designed by Heather Jacobs,  is sure to bring luck with every sip.

♣ Enjoy this copy of Yours Faithfully, Florence Burke by Andover author, Ellen Alden. While in her attic, Ellen discovered nineteen Civil War letters written by her great, great grandfather to his wife and children. That discovery set Ellen on the path to tell their compelling story.

To win this great bundle, subscribe for my blog (check box in comments section) or Like my 3 Olives & a Twist Facebook page.  When you’ve done that, add a comment below saying Three’s a Charm!

For Local Friends

(or anyone who can attend Wednesday’s event)

Enter a chance to win this beautiful Lola Celtic Knot necklace, valued at $85. To win, subscribe for my blog or Like my 3Olives & a Twist Facebook page. Then add a comment below saying Lola!

Be sure to show up to the Helen Thomas on Wednesday night when winners will be chosen at 8pm.  To win the Lola necklace, attendance is required.

So, what’s happening on Wednesday?  Here are the details…

Date:               Wednesday, March 15^th
Time:               6:00-9:00pm
Where:            Helen Thomas, 90 Main St. #2, Andover, MA 01810
What:              Irish Specialty Items, book signing by Ellen Alden, Irish Music, Irish refreshments & blog giveaway!

Come join us in the spirit of the Irish and dress in your most festive lad and lass garb to add to the fun. Thank you for participating in my first blog giveaway!

The Blog

One year ago yesterday, I launched this blog.  I can’t believe how quickly the year has gone by and what a fun ride it has been.

3 Olives & a Twist started out as a place to build excitement for my book, Musing Mediterranean.  Somewhere along the way, it took on a life of its own and afforded me the pleasure of posting about some fantastic subjects and experiences.

The Book

As far as the book goes, Musing Mediterranean is done. It is edited, proofed and currently being pitched to literary agents. Wish me luck in landing a good one!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I am excited to see what year two brings.  What I already know is that more collaborations are under way, with great people and great businesses.

Coming soon – my first blog giveaway. Stay tuned!

What About You?

I’d love your opinion. What do you want to hear about going forward and what can I do differently?

Tell me your suggestions. Would you like more product reviews? Should posts be shorter? Would you like to see more guest bloggers? Anyone in particular?

Talk to me and let me know what you think.

I’d like to continue to spread the word about 3 Olives & a Twist as well as share more stories about the great people, places, businesses and experiences in our area.

My goal is to reach more readers and I’d love your help. If you like a post, please share it. If there’s a topic I should write about please let me know. If you think the blog provides valuable information, please let your friends know about it and suggest they follow along by subscribing or liking my Facebook page.

As always, thank you so much for reading. Have a fabulous day and weekend!