OMG! My Mom ROCKS!!! She made my day!

[Empress]

The best part about your mom is that she didn't really know what to buy, but got the right books nevertheless. When I tell my mom to buy a specific game book, or a CD, DVD or something else she doesn't know much about, she buys the wrong one.

Always

She's still cool, though.

 

[Ampolitor]

Doh!

Cool, Of course I never find those sales,,,,,,,The nearest game store here in NC is like a 1/2 hour away and it isnt anything to brag about by any means. Well I got to go, Im cleaning out the house I just bought, I have to do a ton of work before I can move in and YES I will have the Ultimate gaming room.......muahahhahhahahahahaah (evil Daffy duck laugh!)

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Well, we grow up in not that big of a county. Each graduating class had about 200 people. I think the guys were also surprised because all their girlfriends wanted nothing to do with RPGs and many times would try to get them to not play (they played pretty much EVERY Fri. night).

I didn't know of anyone while I was in school who gamed. The only one I knew of later was the one other outcast of the class (other than I) who I saw in the local comic shop (now defunct) buying magic cards.

 

[Thotas]

My mom had amazing powers like that when I was a kid. I grew up in a small town and there wasn't much in the way of science fiction and fantasy in the stores. Twice a year, my mom had to take my little brother to Palo Alto for check ups to make sure his cancer wasn't coming back, and while in the Bay Area she'd pick stuff up for me. Her interest in these things is so minimal I doubt she knows who Han Solo is, but she would buy an SF digest mag like Analog and it would have a story by a favorite author -- that would go on to win a Hugo Award. One time whe shhe'd ask for guidance, and I'd requested she look for "The Illustrated Harlan Ellison". Not only did she find it, but the first 500 of the press were authographed ... she found one of those!

 

[AuroraGyps]

Mom finds all kinds of stuff. She's very into 1st editions, where I don't really care as long as I can read the thing. We sometime have little arguments about me wanting to take one of her 1st editions... I, Strad, The Rod of Seven Parts, anything with Canty artwork on the cover (which she's started collecting too... I have over 100+ books and stuff, while she's farther behind).
She's found a few signed books too. My favorite is one of the Garrett PI paperbacks by Glen Cook, it's signed by him to author Eluki bes Sharar (AKA Rosemary Edgehill). She goes all over parts of NY and CN, but she knows people that own book stores that'll travel from state to state to state.
I'm alos pretty spoiled with the Buffalo Library System. I'm gonna miss it when I move. I've managed to take out the Draconomicon, a ton of great fantasy, and a lot of graphic novels too. This week I took out:
(Graphic Novels)
Buffy the vampire slayer : the origin by Golden, Christopher.
Ghost world by Clowes, Daniel.
Emily the strange by Cosmic Debris.
Obakemono (Witchblade) by Avery, Fiona Kai.
Lenore. Noogies by Dirge, Roman.
Roman Dirge's Lenore : wedgies by Dirge, Roman.
Fables : legends in exile by Willingham, Bill.
Rose by Smith, Jeff, 1960-
Fables : animal farm by Willingham, Bill.
Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D. : hollow earth & other stories by Mignola, Michael.
Fables : storybook love by Willingham, Bill.
Buffy the vampire slayer : a stake to the heart by Nicieza, Fabian.
The Dark Horse book of witchcraft by Mignola, Mike.
Mike Mignola's B.P.R.D. The soul of Venice, & other stories by Mignola, Michael.
Arrowsmith : so smart in their fine uniforms by Busiek, Kurt.
(Books)
Amber and ashes by Weis, Margaret.
& a BtVS novel
(DVD's)
Buffy, the vampire slayer [videorecording] by Davies, Gareth.
Buffy, the vampire slayer (Television program) by Whedon, Joss, 1964-

Makes me wonder if I should be a librarian... just have to go to college all.

 

[Silver Moon]

Very cool.

I'll add that my mother bought me my very first PHB back in 1981 despite all the hype at the time that it was the work of the devil.

 

[Berandor]

Very cool.

I'll add that my mother bought me my very first PHB back in 1981 despite all the hype at the time that it was the work of the devil.

...or because of it?

 

[Wycen]

My parents bought me my first DnD book too.

As for good deals, a buck for all those books is outstanding. I've occasionally found gaming books for $5.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Dude,

My mom wasn't supposed to sell that stuff of mine at the garage sale!

I want my books back!

 

[AuroraGyps]

The best part about your mom is that she didn't really know what to buy, but got the right books nevertheless. When I tell my mom to buy a specific game book, or a CD, DVD or something else she doesn't know much about, she buys the wrong one.

Always

She's still cool, though.

Well, by now I have my mom pretty well trained. She knew to get the DL book because before she went to books sales, back when I was in HS, we actually bought our books in book stores and I was HUGE into DL.
While game stores sell used books, my mom goes to sales at libraries, run by libraries, etc. She also checks out Amvets, Salvation Army, and other places like that.
A lot of libraries have books for sale every day, or on certain days of the week. Check your newspapers for listings of sales near you. I'll check with my mom, because I think she has the address of a site that lists books sales for all over the country. The one thing I suggest is go early, because professional booksellers go to these things too, and the sales can get pretty crazy. It's like the running of the bulls sometimes. My mom's seen police standing around some sales just in case.