Wizard fans of the Harry Potter variety, there is indeed something new for you. Now’s you can  add your name to a list and be sure you are the first to receive the newest and latest J.K. Rowling. Remember standing in line at midnight for the seventh Potter book? This is easier, for sure.

Barnes & Noble in a newsletter today reports that “The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” (Scholastic Books, 2008) will have all five tales of Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore in the seventh and final Harry Potter book. The 128-page book is geared for readers ages 9 to 12, but I bet a whole lot more will enjoy this compilation.

In December 2007, Rowling produced “The Tales”, five fairy tales with hand illustrations that sold as a rare book, sort of publishing artifact. Now a mass produced compilation will be available to Harry Potter fans everywhere.

Amazon plans to have a collector’s edition and a standard edition available.

There’s a wait since it won’t be out until Dec. 4.

The most fun Harry Potter blog, The Leaky Cauldron talks about it too and notes that it is Rowling’s and Harry Potter’s birthday, July 31.  Check out the site, it wonderful reading and must for every Potter fan.

While filming in Nyack actor Pierce Brosnan was coming out of none other than Pickwick Bookshop and an intrepid reader/photographer snapped this picture and put on our LoHud.com photo gallery.

(Photo by Kim Fasano for The Journal News/LoHud.com.

Great catch Kim. The store is at 8 S. Broadway.

And here’s what LoHud.com said about Pickwick Bookshop in an article for Rockland Magazine, April 26, 2007 by Danielle Kosecki:

John Dunnigan, the owner of Pickwick Bookshop on South Broadway in Nyack, which sells new and used books, lends a hand to hometown writers. Not only does he sell their books, he also features them in his front display window, holds book signings, and supplies the Edward Hopper House Art Centers annual book fair. But Dunnigan emphasizes that writers need more help than he can provide, especially if theyre self-publishing their work. They publish a book and they think its going to sell, he says.  But it doesnt work that way. They have to go out there and embarrass themselves.”

The Katonah Village Library announces its plans for a special author event this fall to benefit its library and aid its growth/expansion.

“An Evening with John Grisham” will feature the well-known writer at the nearby Salem Golf Club. There will be cocktails, dinner, and silent/live auctions. Also, there will be a special pre-benefit cocktail party. It’s all happening Oct. 24 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Grisham has written more than 20 fiction and nonfiction books. His first book , “A Time to Kill” in 1988 had modest print run of 5,000. But his second book, “The Firm” was on the New York Times bestseller list for 47 weeks and was sold to Paramount Pictures for a movie. His other books include “The Pelican Brief,” “The Innocent Man,” and “The Appeal.” More than 225 million copies of his books are in print and have been translated into at least 29 languages. Nine of his novels have been made into films.

Grisham, who lives on a farm in Mississippi and a plantation near Charlottesville, Va., is coming to the event through an invitation from the library board, who has a member who knows him from the New York publishing scene.

The library is currently seeking event sponsors and auction items. Proceeds will be used to fund building renovations and enhancements to make the library a more comfortable and useable facility and to support its programming and operating expenses, advance materials say.

The Katonah Village Library has been in three different locations during its enture. On December 10, 1880 the first Library and Reading Room was opened with 400 books donated by Katonah Village Improvement Association members. It moved to its current site, a stone and brick building at 26 Bedford Road, in the 1920s. A major renovation was done in 1960.

Personally, I really like the architecture, especially the circular corner portion that was once the library’s front entrance. Visitors must now entry on the side road and this rounded jewel is now a reading room. I really love this library and find it is exquisite example of a building that fits well into the country-style Katonah Village business and residential areas. The friendliness of the library staff always makes visitors feel welcome even if you aren’t familiar with the library and need a little help. It is bright, light and cheerful.

I do hope Grisham gets a chance to experience the library first-hand.

For a story about beloved Garrison-ite, John Guinan, whose family owned and operated Guinan’s Country Store and Pub for nearly 50 years at the Garrison train station, I spoke with Blake Strasser. She organizes an annual Gettysburg, Pa., to Manhattan biking trip (Sept. 26-28) to support HIV/AIDS care and education center, an event that was near and dear to John Guinan.

Strasser and I had a delightful conversation — and afterwards I wondered what she reads when she finally sets her bike aside for some quiet time.

Here is her witty response to my inquiry:

“Finally searched my bookshelf and found some of my favorites!

Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins (Bantam Doubleday, 2003) – the whackiest of his whacky novels. I love,
Love, LOVE the parrot! “People of the world – RELAX!” Smart bird.

“Two books actually, but Sammys House (Hyperion, 2007) and Sammys Hill (Miramax Books, 2005) by Kristen Gore – yep, that Gore. Al Gores daughter. Great books! Kinda an American, D.C .insider,
Bridget Jones.”

Then, she recalled the Tour de France and continued with The Yellow Jersey by Ralph Hurne (Breakaway Books, 1996; Cycle Publishing, 2007). Half romance, half sports novel, about a recently retired cyclist who gets sucked into riding the tour again for many, many reasons. Really great insight into the worlds greatest tour before it became the media spectacle it is now.

Could go on and on, but those are the ones that jumped out at me.

Ride On!”
Wow. What interesting selections. To find out about the September ride to honor John Guinan and others go to www.brakingthecycle.org

A new workshop for writers is brewing in Putnam for any area residents who want to share their experiences and learn new expository skills. Forget any notion of writers block.

The Putnam Valley recreation folks are trying to spread the word to all would-be writers and established writers and make their new “Other Worlds Writers’ Workshop” a success and weekly event.

Plans are still being discussed, said rec staffer Dan Anderson, who explains it is open to all level of writers, regardless of age or experience. If there is enough interest they will divide into small groups focusing on a variety of writing genres. There is some flexibility about meeting times, but space is assured at the Putnam Valley Recreation Department’s conference room at Town Hall annex at 265 Oscawana Lake Road. Non-Putnam Valley residents will be welcome.

For information, call Dan at 845-526-3292 during business hours.

The Westchester Library System’s bookmobile will visit Eastchester from 10 a.m. to noon TODAY, as reported this morning in LoHud.com’s Web updates.

It will be parked at the Garth Road-Buckingham Place intersection. The bookmobile will also visit this intersection on Aug. 21.

Last week, it made stops in Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow which will be repeated Aug. 12. The schedule is: Stop & Shop on Route 119, 9:30-11 a.m.; Walgreens on 134 Wildey, 11:30-12:30 p.m.; parking lot across from Sleepy Hollow Village Hall; and on Beekman Ave., 1:30-2:30 p.m.

“You can get a library card, use the computer, get free paperbacks, and have fun on-board,” says Jenifer Ross, director of development at Warner Library in Tarrytown, who is anxiously awaiting the second visit.

Earlier in the month the specially-equipped bus was in Mount Vernon, which was the focus of July 9th entry in this blog so scroll down and check it out.

Other stops for the book mobile during the summer will be in New Rochelle, Peekskill, Tuckahoe, Mount Kisco, and Shrub Oak. The book mobile is supported by an $85,000 grant from the Westchester County Board of Legislators.

I have some reading plans — hoping to catch up on some really good books starting today. You see, I will be on a glorious vacation to New Hampshire in a White Mountain place more than five hours away with really bad cell phone and sporadic television reception.

There is summer theatre and great clay tennis courts, though.

I might visit Robert Frost’s home. His farmhouse and barn in Derry, N.H. are open to visitors on weekends. In Franconia, which is closer to where I will be staying, there is Frost Place which has really nice views of the White Mountains and it plays host each year to a poet-in-residence. I was just reading about this and other literary sites in “Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen’s Bath to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West” by Shannon McKenna Schmidt and Joni Rendon (National Geographic Books, March 2008).

In a future entry, post vacation, I will highlight some literary locales in lower Hudson Valley. But for right now I am packing out of here until July 21.

There was an exciting visitor at the Dobbs Ferry Public Library last week — and he read stories to the children.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the McDonald’s “Check It Out” Reading Program, Ronald McDonald visited the Dobbs Ferry library for a “Ronald and Me” reading tour. He read to group of more than 20 children and their parents. Dobbs Ferry served as the first stop of the 2008 “Ronald and Me” reading tour but so far the only one in our lower Hudson Valley region.

Five is the magic number
The McDonald’s “Check It Out”reading program encourages children in grades K-4 find to discover the enjoyment of reading. The program rewards children with a free Happy Meal for reading five books during the summer months. More than 1 million children in the New York tri-state area have participated in the program since its inception in 1998. This year the booklets are available in Spanish, as well.

The library, like all our libraries in the region, are sponsoring lots of reading programs for children including the “Catch the Reading Bug” through the New York State Library.

The Board of Trustees at the Ossining Public Library has announced  a change in its executive leadership. Its new board president will be Peter Capek, previously the vice president. The new v.p. will be Thomas Staudter, formerly the secretary. Mirla Morrison has been appointed the new secretary and Linda Carpenter, treasurer.

Bob Minzescheimer, the former board president, is stepping down after a second term, the library reports. Minzesheimer is a writer for USA Today, published by Gannett, which also puts out The Journal News/LoHud.com. The library credits Minzescheimer with being instrumental in organizing many of its programs, including author talks. His most recent program was the Festival of Writers and Readers with authors including Frank McCourt and George Vecsey. He will stay on as a board member.

Additionally, the library voted to select a new trustee Samantha Brail to replace Joyce Lannert who is resigning after 12 yeras. Brail, manager of financial planning and analysis for Spraylat Corporation, is a graduate of Siena College and holds and M.B.A. from Union College.

Wimbledon finalist Serena Williams is coming to Mamaroneck tomorrow to play for the World TeamTennis Washington Kastles in a match against the New York Sportimes. And there is a book involved in the bit of celebrity -sports news since the heads-up comes from the publicist for “American Doubles” by Marcia Frost (Mansion Grove House ). The book features the tennis pro (and others) and will also get its moment in center court at the Sound Shore tennis extravaganza.

Serena, and several players at that match, are highlighted in the new publication whose full title is “American Doubles …the Trials …the Triumphs …the Domination.” It is by Long Island native Marcia Frost. The book will be sold at that match in Harbor Island Park and the author will do a signing event from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. One chapter does highlight sibling pairings.

Here’s what publicist Liza Horan says about the book: ”(It) showcases Americans’ prowess on the doubles court, from the successes of Billie Jean King and Stan Smith to today’s top doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan—both of whom made the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles final round and who are featured on the book cover.”

It seems that the Williams match is at 7:30 p.m. For information check out the Sportime site.