Healing is an ongoing process for Tucsonans after the Jan. 8, 2011 shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and 18 other people including 6 who are removed from our community forever. The most powerful part of this process has been seeing so many people unite in mutual respect, consideration and love. We are humbled to have the opportunity to share our love of reading and music to benefit the charities that sprung from the tragedy and benefit its victims. Join us from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 5 at Bookmans Speedway as we continue to move toward healing.

Get out of that darkened room you call your lair because this Saturday and Sunday is Tucson Comic Con. We know you haven't interfaced with another human in years but now is your chance to don that one of a kind costume you paid too much for on eBay and Geek Out. Put a shout out on TeamSpeak to your guild mates that this epic event is being held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bookmans Event Center (5120 S. Julian Drive) where food, fun and freak flags will fly. Admission is yours for the low low price of $5 for the weekend or $3 a day with children 10 and under free. This a safe space because geek is the new chic. If you don't believe us then check out Lightning Octopus a site dedicated to Arizona Geek Culture. Set your sights on flying high because where we're going we don't need roads.

Don't let a little rain stop you. Grab that dusty umbrella (and patch any holes in it) because it's time for the November '11 Phoenix Edition of Bookmans Treasure Hunt: The Search for Local Business Booty. In October local business Samurai Comics, the hottest spot in Phoenix to pick up your favorite comic book and a contributor to the geeking out movement that is sweeping the valley helped us hide treasure. Which local business will stash it for us in November?

It is no secret that Twi-hards have been anxiously awaiting for the next installment in the Twilight film series. Breaking Dawn, Part 1 opens in theaters on Friday, Nov. 18 and tickets are selling out!

Take your love for the Twilight saga to the next level at Bookmans Phoenix. We know how to get you there at our Breaking Dawn Release Party from 7-8:30 p.m. on Nov. 12. We are just as excited as you to join Edward and Bella as they make their romantic and dramatic transition into marriage because after all, their forever is only the beginning. We've spent countless hours buying, trading and selling copies of the books, movies and paraphernalia and now that the saga is almost coming to an end we have decided to go all out for these last two film releases.

We are thrilled with the applications we receive in our Bookmans School Challenge and we want to see more of them. We've developed a short FAQ to help make the process even simpler.

What is the Bookmans School Challenge?
Too often, what we hear about education today is negative: slashed budgets, overcrowding, low test scores. Bookmans wants to celebrate the good that schools are doing, which is why we created the Bookmans School Challenge. We want to hear about the creative and innovative ways schools face everyday challenges. Schools that apply have the opportunity to spread the word about their dedicated teachers, exceptional students and involved parents. One school wins $15,000 to spend any way they see fit and two additional schools will win $3,000 each.

How do you apply for the Bookmans School Challenge?
It's easy to take part in the challenge. Simply visit our online form and fill out the short, one page application. Questions include, "What makes your school unique?" and "How would $15,000 benefit your school?" All public and charter Arizona elementary, middle, junior high and high schools are eligible. The next application deadline is December 3, 2012.

How will winners be chosen?
Bookmans selects ten semifinalists from the schools who submit an application in the challenge. Those schools are chosen based on innovation, need and a commitment to excellence. Bookmans provides video equipment to each semifinalist and asks them to make a short (5 minute maximum) video showcasing their school. The videos are posted to the Bookmans Facebook page to help draw attention to the good these schools are doing. After viewing the videos, the public votes for the school they would like to become a finalist in the challenge. Bookmans selects two additional finalists. One of the three schools wins $15,000 and the other two will win $3,000 each.

For more information, please visit our Bookmans School Challenge page or use our contact form with "Bookmans School Challenge" as the subject and Community Relations [Your City] as the category. Enter today!

From political correctness to character assasination, bad behavior has never been so good (or hillarious) as in Arizona Theater Company's God of Carnage, winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play.  God of Carnage will run at the Herberger Theater Center from Nov. 17 to Dec. 4.

We are on the brink of a busy shopping season filled with stress, family and fun. We hope to remember that there is more to these next couple of months than turkey, parades and presents. November symbolizes what we find most important -- giving back. It's what Bookmans strives to accomplish all year long with our sponsorships, donations and volunteering. We spend the year trying to figure out new ways to team up with leaders, businesses, non-profits and others in the areas surrounding each store to build new relationships, raise funds for great causes and keep the bonds in each city strong with partnerships and friendship. We're lucky enough to call Flagstaff, Mesa, Tucson and Phoenix home. As a commitment to each of those communities and a chance to get others involved, stores in each of these cities will host volunteer fairs featuring the groups we're lucky enough to work with throughout the year. Take a stand to become involved with something you believe in and find out how easy that is at any one of these fairs.

Bookmans and Greenhouse Productions present the fabulous traveling Max and Ruby Bunny Party at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25. The Max and Ruby Show is based on the books written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells and is perfect for the preschool crowd. Regardless of whether your family has read the Wells books, this show promises to keep the kiddos riveted. Is the day after Thanksgiving a little boring for the tots? Since the kids are out of school this is the something special to do for the little ones without leaving town. This show promises memorable fun for the whole family!

The Orpheum Theater describes the show this way:

All Bookmans locations will be closed for Thanksgiving as we celebrate the holiday with our families and friends. Similarly, our Twitter feed, Facebook updates, Google+, customer service and website will be quiet because typing with food in hand can prove disastrous for computers. Plus we're grossed out by greasy fingers on keyboards.

And don't line up at our doors at the crack of dawn on Friday because we don't have to open early one day a year to offer you great prices on awesome stuff. We do that all year around. Besides our team is not all made up of spry young 'uns who can recover quickly from a day of debauchery. Some of us will need to be juiced like Violet before we can move around freely. Instead visit us during our regular hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and bring the same great manners we see every day. There's no need for shoving, elbowing, striking a Heisman or otherwise jostling for the good stuff -- it's all good stuff and we have plenty of it.

As you are happily stuffed with turkey and pumpkin pie we know it's time to burn off those extra calories, so we are serving up our November Treasure Hunt. We're dishing up a prize package worth $80 but there is some work involved. Get your creative juices flowing but be aware that only an adventurous attitude and local know how will land you this grand treasure.