Blue Apple Books

02/01/2025

Happy birthday, Langston Hughes (2/1/1901-5/22/67), a wonderful writer to celebrate on this first day of Black History Month. We are excited to share some new books (in all genres and for all ages) and feature some that we’ve had on our shelves since we opened that feature black authors who have made an impact in the literary world, or on society at large!

01/31/2025

Her newer book is on back order with suppliers until next week, but we have some copies of this book by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde in stock at the store! We’re open 10-8 Thurs-Sat, 10-3 Sun, and 10-6 Tues-Wed.

01/31/2025

Our next event is two weeks from tonight!! Come out and support a great cause: buy a children’s book for , meet author and hear sing and play some acoustic tunes (some sappy, some not!). Children’s books will be 20% off all day, and we will have refreshments and door prize giveaways all evening, including some new spring items from .

01/30/2025

Betty Bolte is here until 7 tonight, signing her new Civil War-era novel, Snow on Magnolias, which is set in Huntsville and features some interesting plot twists and characters, including a southern Unionist. Come out and say hello!

01/30/2025

Do you agree with Virginia Woolf, or do you read one book at a time?

“I am reading six books at once, the only way of reading; since, as you will agree, one book is only a single unaccompanied note, and to get the full sound, one needs ten others at the same time.”

― Virginia Woolf, born January 25, 1882

01/28/2025

We are having a blast with , who will be here showing off her art until 5:45 this evening! A few of these pieces/prints will be for sale in the store afterward.

01/28/2025

New release Tuesday!!! Rick Astley’s autobiography, Patrick Stewart’s book in paperback, an annotated poetry book of Taylor Swift lyrics, Ian Cron’s new enneagram book, a timely offering by Jonathan Blitzer (won’t officially be for sale until Thursday, but you can buy online for store pickup so you know you have a copy waiting!), and some great new fiction by Freida McFadden, Betty Shamieh, Tara Roberts, Han Kang, as well as a new middle grades fantasy book by Kali Wallace! In addition, we got in some copies of A New Earth by Echard Tolle, Oprah’s recently announced book club selection. Some other recent releases have also been added to the front table, and would be a great day to come by to pick up something to read and support Addy Conner’s student art exhibit this afternoon from 4-5:45!

01/27/2025

January always seems to be a long month, but we are excited to spend its last days celebrating some amazing local creators, including our first ever high school Student Artist Spotlight, in cooperation with Madison City Schools' fine arts faculty, featuring James Clemens High School senior Addy Conner! We will host a gallery-type show for Addy at the store on Tuesday, January 28 from 4:00-5:45, during which attendees can peruse both originals and prints of her amazing work, watch her work on a painting in progress, and hear her discuss her work at around 5 PM.

Then, on Thursday evening, veteran Huntsville historical romance author Betty Bolte will be here for a Meet & Greet and Book Signing event for her newest book, Snow on Magnolias. Betty has great advice for aspiring authors, so if you'd like to come chat with her and also buy yourself some of her signed books, this is the perfect opportunity!

On top of that, this is our last big week for our Christmas clearance sale at South & Pine (50% off holiday decor, kitchen, and floral), and we are starting to put out Valentine's and even some spring merchandise. The temperatures are going to tease us with some springlike weather this week, so if you're itching to start some spring-related decorating, planting, or reading, come on in to shop Tues-Wed 10-6, Thurs-Sat 10-8, Sun 10-3. We are closed on Mondays.

Thanks for shopping local and supporting local creators!

01/27/2025

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Ceremonies in Poland - and around the world - are attended by drastically fewer survivors as each anniversary is marked.

Keep reading their stories. Keep remembering. Keep being aware of what humans are capable of when hate takes over. Keep speaking out when you see someone being dehumanized or othered. That’s the only way we can truly say “Never again.”

01/23/2025

SOLD OUT! We have sold our final in-stock copies of both the limited edition cover and the standard cover editions of Onyx Storm as of 5:00 today. Though we anticipate getting more standard covers over the next several days, the likelihood of getting any more limited covers is extremely small. You can always check online to see what’s in stock (books or otherwise!) at shopsouthandpine.com, and use the search bar. If you search for “Empyrean,” for example, you’ll see all our Fourth Wing series merch that’s in stock! Thanks for your support and patience this week as we’ve been through our first major book release/hosted our first midnight release party! We do not take your support for granted.

01/23/2025

1. It’s in your hands now.
2. Thank you for sharing this incredible experience with me.
3. Enjoy the ride. 🖤

01/22/2025

Onyx Storm is of course getting a lot of attention this week, but we have some other great new/recent releases in stock right now! We also have a large selection of fantasy books that we compiled for the OS release party and a few of them are still here, along with our Empyrean series-themed merch! Come and shop soon for best selection!

01/22/2025

Only a few spots left for this amazing workshop on Saturday, led by two experts in art therapy and trauma recovery.

Prior participants have described this as “a unique experience where art exploration meets self. The peacefulness and comfort in the room presents freedom to create without judgment. Emotions, memories, and hopes stirred inside my soul and onto the paper as she led us through the artistic process of reflection. I highly recommend this class to anyone wanting to dive deeper into their story while having a place to process through it.”

Another commented that she “enjoyed getting out of my bubble, being social in a setting where I didn’t have to be ON, and sharing space with folks who sympathized and with whom I could connect. I’d do this again and will recommend it to everyone else I know.”

If this sounds intriguing or helpful to you, go to the “Events” tab at shopsouthandpine.com to see more details and register.

01/21/2025

All of our Onyx Storm preorders have been sold, but we have more arriving tomorrow and Thursday! We sold a lot of merch at the midnight release party, but we have lots left, including locally made clay accessories/jewelry, engraved tumblers, and themed candles in black and gold resin, as well as “Brave the Dark” sweatshirts, store-exclusive stickers, and - new today - adorable stuffed dragons. If you’re a fan, I hope you’ll consider buying local and supporting multiple woman-owned small businesses!

01/20/2025

As we remember Dr. King today, here are some of his writings that have been made available online that perhaps you would choose to take the time to peruse today. If you live in Alabama and have never read “Letter from A Birmingham Jail,” we’d highly recommend it.

🗣️📕 ✍🏽 A list of speeches and sermons in which he courageously speaks truth; shares about Kingian nonviolence; and expounds on issues of injustice and what our righteous, rigorous response should be. Relevant. Revelatory. Revolutionary.

1. ‘The Other America.’ Full speech: https://youtu.be/dOWDtDUKz-U?si=yzHNbyA2bZiJBq-F

“It's more difficult today because we are struggling now for genuine equality. And it's much easier to integrate a lunch counter than it is to guarantee a livable income and a good solid job.” From ‘The Other America.”

2. “Nonviolence is not sterile passivity, but a powerful moral force which makes for social transformation.” Acceptance Speech

Full speech: https://youtu.be/az8VvmcgNpE

3. “This problem of spiritual and moral lag, which constitutes modern man's chief dilemma, expresses itself in three larger problems which grow out of man's ethical infantilism.” From ’s Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, ‘The Quest for Peace and Justice’

Full speech: https://youtu.be/CzMFOljSYIk

4. From ‘Paul’s Letter to American Christians’:

“Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes.”

Full speech: https://youtu.be/7p5iOhXumaQ

5. in 1967, but he could be talking about today: “And so the collision course is set. The people cry for freedom and the congress attempts to legislate repression.” From ‘The Three Evils of Society.’

Full speech: https://youtu.be/6sT9Hjh0cHM

6. ‘Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.’ Please spend some time with it. “If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the deepest hopes of men the world over.”

Full speech: https://youtu.be/AJhgXKGldUk


7. : https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

01/19/2025

A couple of adorable young customers made us smile yesterday! The first posing with our Breakfast at Tiffany’s book display before she headed to tea at , and the second showing off his pigeon while reading one of the fabulous Pigeon books by Mo Willems. We love when families visit the bookstore! Don’t forget we’re open 10-3 on Sundays.