October Stats

Wild Releases: 23
Catches: 3

Year-to-date:
Wild Releases: 282
RABCKs: 121
Catches: 42
OBCZ Finds: 1
Bookrays: 1
Wild Finds: 1

Catch #104!

Some excellent detective work led to the capture of "The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple." New BookCrossing member smurf4242 reports that it was "Found on a gas pump at Get Go in Hempfield. Plan to start reading it now." Nice work, smurf4242! Enjoy!

Wild Release #785

I probably should have checked the weather forecast before leaving Stephanie Bond's "3 men and a Body" lurking in a potted plant outside the front door of Denny's restaurant. Hopefully someone will come along and blow its cover soon.

Wild Releases #780 - #784

The Humane Society of Westmoreland County hosted its annual Whisker Walk today at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg. Sister No. 6, Cat No. 1, and I enjoyed a quick walk around the upper lake before heading home to watch the Steelers game. While there, I took the opportunity to release a few themed books along the walking path: "The Supernaturalist," by Eoin Colfer; "Little Miss Sunshine and the Wicked Witch," by Roger Hargreaves; "Frankenstein," by Mary Shelley; "Beyond the Deepwoods," by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell; and "Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund," by Blaize Clement.

Wild Release #779

This is amusing. I had an early morning appointment today for an oil change and inspection at Smail Mazda in Greensburg, the dealership where I purchased my car. While I was there in their waiting room, I got a call on my cell phone from someone at Smail Mazda who was wondering if there was anything they could do for me, such as schedule a service appointment. I had to laugh and tell them no because I was sitting in their waiting area at that very moment having my car serviced. What are the chances of that? Astronomical at best? Hopefully, the chances of Disney's "Tarzan" being caught are much greater. I left it on the children's table in the waiting room.

Wild Release #778

I don't know what possessed me to buy this book at the St. Florian's used book sale. In fact, being too scared to keep "It" in my possession for long, I left "It" (by Stephen King) at Sheetz in Greensburg on top of one of the gas pumps for a braver soul than mine.

New label sampler!

I love all the official stuff from the BC Supply Store, but I also love that you can make your own labels and release materials. I was feeling inspired recently and came up with a new label sampler: two each of five different labels, including two that are holiday themed. You can download them by clicking here. I used taglines from the BookCrossing site and matched them up with some Ballycumber art:

• share books! it's good for the circulation
• it's better to give than to reshelve
• feeding the world its brain food!
• a book is a gift you can open again and again!
• never judge a book by its movie!

Feel free to download and use them. You can find links to other user-created labels in this thread on the BookCrossing forums.

Wild Release #777

Another witch book is on the loose in Greensburg. I left "The Resident Witch," by Marian T. Place, on a window ledge on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the Penn Towers building. It is keeping company with the stuffed witch who resides in the window with some other festive Halloween decorations.

Wild Release #776

I love doing themed releases, so I was quite happy to pull this one off. I left "Clifford's Loose Tooth," by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, on the windowsill outside the front door of 4-KIDS Dental Care on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg.

Wild Release #775

What better place to find "Money Money Money" than at a bank? I left Ed McBain's work of fiction on top of the drive-thru ATM at Dollar Bank's Greengate office.

Catch #103!

Another quick catch and another new member! "The Witches" was found by positanodreams, who says: "I found the book in the lobby of the First Commonwealth Bank (Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, PA). Plan to read the book & then leave it somewhere for someone else to enjoy. What a wonderful idea! I'm thrilled about this program." I'm thrilled as well. Thank you, positanodreams, and welcome!

Wild Release #774

Halloween is just around the corner, so it's the perfect time to release Roald Dahl's classic "The Witches." I left it in the vestibule of First Commonwealth Bank's East Pittsburgh Street office, on the free home guides rack. Haunted hunting!

Catch #102!

"Malice in Miniature" has been found by none other than the proprietor of Just Miniature Scale, who is now a BookCrossing member as well! miniaturescale reports: "I found the book on the window ledge of my shop right where it was left. I am so accustomed to picking up trash left on the ledge that I simply reached for it as I went past. When I realized it wasn't trash, advertising, or literature to save my soul from the fires of hell, I was intrigued. Being an avid reader I love this concept. I have read the book already being that I am in the dollhouse field; but, I will certainly leave it in a spot for someone else to find and enjoy! Thanks!" Thanks for the great journal entry, miniaturescale, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Release #773

When I saw this book at St. Florian's used book sale earlier this year, I knew just where I was going to release it: Just Miniature Scale in Greensburg. When I was younger, I wanted to buy every teeny tiny piece of dollhouse furniture the place sold. Unfortunately, my allowance—and my horrible saving practices—never allowed me to do so. Still, it was the perfect place to release "Malice in Miniature," by Margaret Grace, so I left it on the windowsill facing West Pittsburgh Street around 6:30 p.m.

Wild Release #772

When I was a little kid walking into a grocery store, I made sure to check the prize bins of all the gumball and prize machines in the lobby as I walked by. Occasionally, I'd be rewarded by someone who wasn't careful enough in collecting their prize. Now I leave my own prize in the bins. If some little kid checks the claw machine in the lobby of the Hempfield Giant Eagle, he or she may be thrilled to find "My Little Blue Book."

Wild Releases #770 & #771

Both my car and I needed sustenance as the lunch hour rolled around today. I put my car's needs above my own since its little orange GET GAS NOW BEFORE I SPUTTER, CHOKE, AND DIE light was on, and stopped first at the Hempfield Giant Eagle's GetGo gas station. After satisfying my Mazda's thirst, I left Hester Browne's "The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple" on top of the gas pump. That deed done, I satisfied my own hunger at the Subway in the new Lincoln Plaza on Route 30, but not before releasing another book: "Another Amy," by Marilyn Kaye, was left on a pole outside the main doors shortly after 1 p.m.

Wild Releases #768 & #769

Today's wild releases were made in memory of Snowshoee, a Portuguese BookCrosser who passed away earlier this year while awaiting a heart transplant. Today would have been her 27th birthday. Mine were just two of dozens of worldwide releases that were inspired by this thread on the BookCrossing forums. Sister No. 6 and I braved the crowds and narrow, blocked-off streets of Ligonier to release "The Sweet Everlasting," by Judson Mitcham, and "Fair and Tender Ladies," by Lee Smith during Fort Ligonier Days. Please consider becoming an organ donor. I'm one.

Wild Release #767

Every college student could use an inspiring or humorous story at this point in semester, so I left "Chicken Soup for College Soul," by Jack Canfield, et al., on a windowsill of the Seton Hill Performing Arts Center on Harrison Avenue in Greensburg around 3:30 p.m.

Wild Release #766

While tending to some business, I managed to release "Tending Roses," by Lisa Wingate, in the lobby of the building that houses First Commonwealth Bank's Greengate office. I hope it cultivates a new BookCrossing member!

Wild Release #765

Since my first release in the comment cards rack in the vestibule of Panera Bread was a success, I decided to tempt fate and do it again. That's where you'll find "A Corpse for Yew," by Joyce and Jim Lavene.

Wild Release #764

I happened to be driving past Boston Market on Route 30 in Greensburg today and I thought to myself, "You know, I never go there." So I did. Not to eat (this time, at least) but to release a book. I left Janet Evanovich's "Fearless Fourteen" resting against a cement column in the parking lot.

Wild Release #763

Today's lunch destination was Arby's in Greengate Centre. It seems like it's been awhile since I left a book behind, so I left Nancy K. Robinson's "Veronica the Show-off" on a ledge outside the main door.