BookJingle Blog

Archive for August, 2010

As always, we would like to say thanks to Cafe Lily Book Reviews who has graciously agreed to allow us to reprint her book reviews.  For even more book reviews, hop on over to Cafe Lily Book Reviews to find out what is worth reading.

On May 21, 2008, the lives of the Chapman family changed dramatically in one ill-fated moment.  Their five year old adopted daughter, Maria, was accidentally hit and killed in the driveway of their Tennessee home.  As if the accident weren’t horrific enough, the car that hit Maria was being driven by her older brother, Will Franklin.

In Choosing to See, wife of award winning contemporary Christian music artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, Mary Beth Chapman writes from the perspective of a grieving mother and shares personal, private moments of deep loss and hurt.

Mary Beth shares her heart along with the questions and doubts that swirled in her mind when faced with releasing her daughter to the arms of Jesus. She writes very honestly about what her family has endured and how this tragedy has been used by God to draw her family closer. She opens up about her personal struggle with clinical depression, which started long before tragedy struck. This is not an easy book to read – I cried through the foreward by Steven Curtis Chapman and the prologue by Beth Moore.  And most of the book for that matter!

This a deeply personal story full of emotion and heartache and at the same time, a story of hope and promise. The Chapman family is a living example of joy that comes in the morning.  What Satan meant for harm and destruction – God has turned into something bigger and more powerful than any of the Chapmans’ ever imagined.   The Chapmans founded Maria’s Big House of Hope, an orphanage in China for children with special needs, which officially opened July 2009.

Choosing To See will be available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

In a word, yes!

And the good news is, only minimal effort is necessary to have a substantial impact on your revenue. You can sell used books through our website at www.bookjingle.com and some libraries may even be eligible for one of our portable scanning devices. Simply enter the ISBN numbers of any books that are donated or discarded by your library on the site, receive instant offers, ship the books and get paid!

Several libraries across the county are already using us and making hundreds of dollars for their library each week!

If we sell our books on the site, will we still have books available for our regular sale?

We understand and appreciate the goodwill and community awareness that a local book sale generates.  It has been our experience that less than 4% of all books will meet our criteria for online sale.  More than likely, this small percentage will not cause a noticeable decline in the amount of books available.  Furthermore, this small percentage of books will account for a much larger portion of your overall revenue.

Why is selling our books online more profitable?

Not all books can be sold for greater profit online.  However, there are select books that will command a higher price in the internet market.  Unlike most book sales, BookJingle is not limited by a physical location.  Through the internet, we are able to market these books to individuals across the globe.  This international exposure allows us to distribute your books to individuals actively pursuing that title; thereby receiving a greater price for that item.

Assume you have a copy of a book titled “Sinkholes and Subsidence: Karst and Cavernous Rocks in Engineering and Construction”.  If you attempt to sell this item at your normal sale, you have to hope that someone in your community is interested in this exact title.  By placing this title on the internet, you are able to make this book available to individuals who are actively seeking this title.

Why shouldn’t we just sell our books online ourselves?

Selling books online requires work on a daily basis. The amount of effort and attention directly impacts the speed and price at which a book sells. To effectively sell books online, a bookseller must have staff available to perform the following tasks:

* Books must be cleaned and cataloged each time new stock is acquired
* Books must be described and listed for sale using appropriate terminology
* After a sale, the books must be picked, packed, and shipped
* On a daily basis, customer emails must be answered.  These emails include topics such as general inquiries, shipping questions,  concerns, and returns.
* Inventory prices must be constantly monitored in order to command a great price while remaining competitive

Finally, the online bookseller must have the appropriate infrastructure in place.  In order to effectively sell books online, we truly believe you need the following:

* Adequate storage space for books and shipping supplies
* System to catalog and locate books
* Computer and scanner system with Internet access
* Subscription to various online bookselling websites
* An understanding of the many rules,and Terms of Service agreements among various bookselling sites
* Knowledge of what will sell online and for how much it will sell
* Knowledge of terminology to accurately describe book condition

Want to know what your books are worth quickly?  Don’t have the time to enter ISBNs on a regular basis?

Perhaps our portable scanning device is for you. Prior to your regular book sale, we will ship the appropriate number of bar code pricing scanners you need.  These scanners will display an instant cash offer for any books we are purchasing.  Prior to the opening night of your sale, have your volunteers scan the books.  Then box up any books that receive an offer and send them to our warehouse using the label we will provide. You will be  paid within 48 hours of our receipt of the books.

It’s that easy!

Sell your textbooks for the most money here.  BookJingle wants to give you the best textbook buyback experience.  We are the best place to sell books online and we will prove it.  If your buyback order contains a textbook, you can receive an additional 10% on your orders by entering coupon code “TB2010″ when you check out.  Remember to hurry! This coupon code expires 9/30/2010.

Escaping The Cauldron is the true story of Kristine McGuire’s journey into the demonic spirit realm where she eventually became a witch and a medium.  This book is a collection of articles that started out in blog format and were written for Kristine’s online audience.  In an attempt to inform and warn others about occult practices and deception, Kristine put this book together with the help of her family in hopes that her story would touch the lives of those who might be entertaining thoughts of occult practices, or may be already deeply entrenched. All through this book, Kristine reiterates that the only “spirit” we should be in contact with (or attempting to contact) is the Holy Spirit, and she consistently directs her readers back to the one true God, and the need for salvation.

The following comments are from the author:

About The Book:
Escaping the Cauldron: What You Should Know about the Occult details the personal journey of Kristine McGuire and how God restored her to faith in Jesus Christ. The book also examines the current upswing of interest in the paranormal and its effect on Christians. The first book in the Escaping the Cauldron series, this book will give the reader insight into the occult from the vantage point of one who’s been there.

What is the book about?
The book is part testimony of how I went from committed, albeit legalistic, Christian for twenty-nine years to witch, medium, and ghost hunter for eight years before God restored my faith and life. It details my personal struggle with trying to be “the perfect Christian” while being drawn to the Occult from childhood. The book is also a Biblical study that examines the current pop-cultural interest in the occult (in particular ghosts, hauntings, and mediums) and how this interest is affecting Christians as well as their beliefs about the supernatural.

Why call it Escaping the Cauldron?
This is actually the first book in a series, What Christians Need to Know about the Occult. It is a series of collections written from my former experiences as a witch, medium, and ghost hunter. This book is primarily about ghost hunting, mediumship, and the paranormal but I chose “Escaping the Cauldron” as the main title because witchcraft was truly my entry into the arena of occult interest and exploration including such things as divination, psychic ability, spirit guides, mediumship, ghost hunting, etc.

What do you think is the most important chapter of the book?
I think there are many important chapters but “Spiritual Warfare” and “How Should Christians Respond?”are the two which take everything discussed in the previous chapters bringing it all together, helping the reader understand their authority in Jesus Christ and leading the way to a ready defense for any kind of paranormal or supernatural event they may experience in their life as a Christian.

What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
I hope to inform and equip Christians with information about the occult. Additionally I pray the church will begin to acknowledge the presence of the spiritual world around us and listen to people who come forward with stories or claims of paranormal experiences without dismissing them immediately. When the church refuses to listen or offer any Biblical assistance, many people are forced to seek help elsewhere. This generally means seeking out ghost hunters, mediums, and psychics. I also hope to encourage Christians who may be questioning their faith to seek a deeper relationship with God, especially if they are stuck in a form of legalism. Our answers truly can be found in Jesus Christ.

One question we receive on a regular basis is “Why is my payment different than the amount shown when I place my buyback order?”

There are many reasons why this occurs:

1. The shipment contained books that were not on the Packing Slip
If books were shipped to us that were not included on the Packing Slip, we may still be able purchase those books. If we are currently purchasing that title, we will add the offer to your total.

2. The shipment was missing books that were not on the Packing Slip.

The amount offered for the missing books will be deducted from the payment.

3. Book(s) did not meet our condition requirements.

We examine each book upon receipt, if a book does not meet our condition guidelines, it will be rejected and the amount will be deducted from the total. Here are reasons why a book would be rejected:

• Books with front cover torn to indicate disposal or marked “not for resale”

• Water damage / Moisture damage
• Staining
• Missing/loose/torn pages
• Books with an odor (smoke, musty, etc.)

• Advanced Reading Copies/Uncorrected Proofs/Galley Copies
• Teacher’s Editions and Annotated Instructor’s Editions
• Workbooks/Manuals/Study guides that have been worked
• Teacher Solutions Manuals and Answer Keys
• International/Foreign Edition Textbooks
• Books without an ISBN printed anywhere on the book
• Sets with missing volumes
• Pornography
• Calendars

4. Book(s) were missing supplemental items

If upon examination of the book, we see that a book is missing a CD, DVD, online access code, etc, 50% of the offered amount is deducted for that particular book.

5. Hardcover books were missing dust jackets

If we receive a hardcover book that is missing the dust jacket, 50% of the offered amount is deducted for that particular title.

We do send out an email upon receipt of the books indicating the total to be paid and explained why payment is more due to extra books received or less due to the condition of the books received.

Our customers are able to get back any books that are not accepted. If the customer wishes to have their book(s) back, they must pay the shipping costs. Payment for the return shipping can be made via check or Paypal within 15 days. After 15 days, the item is either destroyed or recycled in accordance with our company policies.

BookJingle wants you…

…to join our Book Scout Program

Are you looking for some extra cash?

Want to sell used books for even more cash?

Let us show you how to turn your love for books into a business.

Get even more cash for books.

Visit our book scout page for more details!

Again, we would like to say thanks to Cafe Lily Book Reviews who has graciously agreed to allow us to reprint her book reviews.  For even more book reviews, hop on over to Cafe Lily Book Reviews to find out what is worth reading.

We all know that media tends stretch and exaggerate information and make “mountains out of mole hills”, much of the time.  In his latest book, Bradley Wright, PhD, sets out to expose the lies of both secular and Christian media and shatter the hyped up myths about Christians in general.

Does this book accomplish his goal?  I’m not sure, but I do sense that a book like this may stir the pot and cause controversy, based on Wright’s research and statements.

According to his research, Wright claims that statistics regarding Christians (Evangelicals) are distorted by the media.  For example, according to Wright, the divorce rate amongst Christians is actually lower than those who don’t claim any religious affiliation.  This of course goes against the information most of us have heard about the divorce rates being the same for believers and non-believers.

Some reports have even said that divorce rates were higher amongst Christians. Wright also hits the stereotype of Evangelicals being mostly poor, white, Southern and uneducated.  In this book, Wright intends to show how bad news and tabloid sensationalism has pushed aside the Good News of the Gospel that Christians stand for. Being a sociologist, Wright really enjoys statistics and offers plenty of them to combat the information that has long presented Christians in a negative light.

I don’t know if those who already have a bad taste in their mouth toward evangelicals will be interested in this book, but Wright may find himself with a varied audience.  If you are NOT a fan of charts, graphs, statistics, numbers, facts and sociological information, you may want to avoid this book.

As the kids go back to school and Summer sadly comes to an end, I thought it would be fun to look at top pop songs from ten years ago. This list of the top 10 pop songs of the summer 2000 and is based on data from record industry charts from the months of June, July, and August 2000.

Top Pops Songs of Summer 2000

10. Faith Hil – Breathe

9. Toni Braxton – He Wasn’t Man Enough

8. Eminem – The Real Slim Shady

7. Creed – Higher

6. Enrique Iglesias – Be With You

5. Matchbox Twenty – Bent

4. NSYNC – It’s Gonna Be Me

3. Joe – I Wanna Know

2. Vertical Horizon – Everything You Want

1. Aaliyah – Try Again

Well, it is that time of year again.  BookJingle is busy purchasing textbooks from across the nation.  We love being able to help our customers receive the most from their used books.

Why do you think that the local college book buyback store offers such poor prices?  When you sell used books, have you been able to get good prices at your college bookstore?  Have you ever had your college bookstore tell you that the professor has decided to change books next semester?

Use the comments to share some of your textbook buyback experiences.

We would like to give a big thank you to Cafe Lily Book Reviews who has graciously agreed to allow us to reprint her book reviews.  For even more book reviews, hop on over to Cafe Lily Book Reviews to find out what is worth reading.

Love Is A Flame is the compilation of true stories written by real people who have seen transformation take place in their marriages. These stories cover a variety of difficult topics such as grief, loss of a child, terminal illness, adultery, pornography, etc. Each story is a tale of testing, renewal and ultimately comitment – all great examples of biblical love. At the end of each story, author James Bell shares insight and wisdom which compliments the point being made by the contributing author.  In the back of the book there is a section about the contributing authors, including contact or website information if you’d like to learn more about them. I like that this book shares the true day to day struggles that all marriages face and didn’t sugar coat the issues.  I appreciated the honesty of the contributing authors and their willingness to share their struggles and triumphs with others.