Sandman Blog
When It Rains It Pours
NOV 12, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
3 STORMS in six weeks. Wondering why we haven't been as chatty as usual on our emails? It's because we have been doing storm cleanup and water remediation after the shop was damaged by Hurricane Ian (which removed our roof), a smaller (but just as wet) storm on November 2nd, and Tropical Storm Nicole on November 10th.
Hurricane Ian
OCT 1, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Yup. We had a bit of a blustery day. But we've hit the ground running...
Banned Books Week 2022
SEP 20, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
It's that time of year again! Banned Books Week is here and (once again) the list of titles is overwhelming and horrifying...
An Interview with Ted Naifeh
SEP 17, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
New York Times bestselling author and artist Ted Naifeh was kind enough to carve some time out of his schedule for me to answer a few questions (and we spent, I kid you not, six weeks deciding what questions to ask him, so I really hope you like them)...
It's the End of the World As We Know It
SEP 12, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Dystopian novels form a huge part of science-fiction literature. Here, I've compiled a list of some of the best-loved titles, arranged by year of publication. If your favorite is missing, send me a note; I'd love to add it...
National Black Cat Appreciation Day
AUG 17, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Every day is Caturday... but August 17th is a great day for a profile on Kitty-Wan Kenobi, our resident cat.
Enter Sandman
SEP 10, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Six days ago, The Sandman came to life on screen, with a big budget, under the close and careful management of its creator Neil Gaiman. It's no secret that Sandman is dear to my heart...
Happy Birthday, Beatrix Potter!
JULY 28, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
On this day in 1866, Beatrix Potter was born. Her charming stories, and the beautiful illustrations she created for them, would go on to inspire and comfort generations of children and adults...
100 Classic SciFi and Fantasy Novels
JULY 23, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
In 2011, NPR ran a massive book survey to determine the most loved books in the sci-fi and fantasy genre. 60,000 readers voted in the finals, ranking their favorite 100 novels. Let's take a look at the original list of 100 reader favorites.
50 Best New Sci-Fi & Fantasy
JULY 21, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Ten years after they compiled a list of the most loved books in Science Fiction and Fantasy, NPR revisited the topic and selected the top fifty books from new authors (who didn't exist during the first survey).
A Big Fat TikTok Book List
JULY 20, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
57 titles #BookTok loves (and 3 from me!). Nostalgic, excited, romantic, curious, terrified - whatever you want to feel, this list has you covered.
Video Game Day is July 8th
JULY 6, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
National Video Game Day happens on July 8! Why does a bookseller care about video games, you ask? There's a lot of crossover between these two art forms. There are obvious relevancies, such as the wildly popular Witcher games (based on Andrzej Sapkowski's epic book series); and the less obvious ones, like spinoff novels and art books. And (by this time you probably know) we love sci-fi, much of which deals with what-ifs about how video games can impact our lives now, and in the possible future. From classics like Ender's Game to more recent hits like Ready Player One, video games have been fascinating writers ever since they were first a thing...
Gothic Home-Making: Fabric Wallpaper
JUNE 28, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
My bookshop is decorated in a Dark Maximalist steampunk style that I like to think of as "industrial Atlantis." I have a bad case of champagne taste on a beer budget (bookselling is not a famously well-paid profession) so I do a lot of DIY stuff when I have decor ideas that I want to embrace. This is how I installed fancy damask wallpaper in my sci-fi & fantasy nook, on a budget...
A Season for Southern Gothic
JUNE 22, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
I can't believe it's been six years since we refreshed our Southern Gothic reading list! The genre has grown so much since then, and I'm quite excited about this update. The classics are still here too, but I have a number of fresh titles from exciting new authors to share with you...
100 Best Novel
s
JUNE 14, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
If you want a list of the "best 100 novels ever written," there are a lot of them out there. Personally, I love the 2018 list from PBS, because it was curated by readers (not critics or academics). That means it's truly a list of fan favorites...
7 Books About The Florida Highwaymen
JUNE 10, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
If you've been in Florida for much time at all, you've probably heard of these twenty-six African American landscape painters. These midcentury artists were known as "The Highwaymen" because they sold their work on the weekends, hitting the road like old-fashioned traveling salesmen. At the time, their vibrant depictions of Florida scenery sold for about $25 a painting (now, they fetch thousands at auction). Books about these artists can also be quite rare...
The 5 Pillars of Warhammer
MAY 25, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Warhammer is a tabletop war game designed for two or more players (it's not a computer game; you play at a table with your friends). It's also a grimdark book series. It's also a line of miniature models, which you can paint to your own taste (or leave undecorated). The entire thing is set in a fictional postapocalypic universe 40,000 years in our future...
Florida Historical Novels
MAY 20, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
8 books to try if you loved A Land Remembered...
Cook-Books for Book Lovers
MAY 13, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
One of my favorite things about working in a bookshop is that I can enjoy seeing, handling, and admiring a great number of books I would never meet otherwise...
7 Bright Romantic Fantasies
MAY 5, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Suddenly, everyone is interested in Regency romance again! It’s no mystery that Bridgerton captured our imaginations with its lush sets, opulent costumes, and lavish soundtrack. The film adaptation of Julia Quinn’s romance series hit just the right note, and we’re hungry for more...
Florida's Fabulous Field Guides
MAY 3, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
This is one of my favorite natural history series! The vibrant, detailed illustrations really bring the flora and fauna of the Sunshine state to life - and the series includes oft-overlooked topics like...
Independent Bookstore Day
APR 30, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
If you're visiting our brick and mortar shop today ask about indie bookstore day specials, including BOGO romance, free shirts and more...
Dark Victorian Fantasy Reading List
APR 29, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
One of the hardest questions to answer (for me) is when someone requests "a book like the Night Circus." Here are some other Victorian novels which evoke a similar Dark Fantasy aesthetic...
Rare Book Thursdays
APR 28, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi.
Today we're taking a close-up look at the second oldest book on our shelves: a Dutch bible from 1730.
Night Circus Ball Gowns
APR 27, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi (Chimera Costumes).
In 2018, Morgan Katsarelas and I made a pair of costumes inspired by the Night Circus and its dark Victorian fantasy aesthetic.
Book themed clothing inspired by Art Sculpture
APR 26, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Heidi (Chimera Costumes).
This week I made a custom corset with Amber, who dearly loves The Hobbit. What do you wear when books are life? A corset covered in books of course...
How-To Build A Wedding Book Arch
APR 10, 2022. PUNTA GORDA. by Scott.
I created beautiful book arch reminiscent of an old roman aqueduct... it's perfect for weddings and senior portraits
Coming Soon
#BannedBooks · #BookToFilm · #BIPOC · #StaffPick · #Dragons · #Dystopia · #Fae · #FirstInSeries · #KingArthur · #MagicalRealism · #Mermaids · #Mythology · #Neurodivergent · #Steampunk
