“I love walking into a bookstore. It’s like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.” ―
Do you like spending time in a bookstore? I do. Sometimes I go knowing the book I want to find and carry home with me. Other times, I don’t have a specific book in mind. I want to browse and hope a book or books will catch my interest. I scan the shelves, pulling out a book now and then to read the back covers. I like flipping through them to release that heady new book odor. I like looking at the bargain tables even though I know the poor authors are making very little, if any, money off those sales., but I also check out the just released shelves. It’s interesting seeing the picks of the bookstore employees. I like being surrounded by books to have so many choices of add to my reading pile.
The picture is from a few years ago when I did a book signing at a Barnes & Noble Bookstore near Louisville. It was a neat store that put the table right up in the front part of the store where I wasn’t hard to spot. I don’t do very many bookstore signings. Partly because I’m no good at organizing the events. I do enjoy meeting people at places like that. That’s why I like book fairs where I get to meet so many readers and book lovers. I’m taking part in a few book fairs in the fall. First up is the Fiction Readers Summit in Michigan on August 8-10. That’s a long way from home for me but I’m looking forward to a fun time with a great group of authors there to talk books and writing. Then September 21st is the Heartland Book Festival in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. I’ve not taken part in either of these before but I’m looking forward to meeting new readers there.
“When asked for the details of an ideal date, I answered, “I want him to take me to a book store, so he can see just how happy I can be.” ―
So I do like bookstores where you can be happy surrounded by books and have that ideal date for a book lover. I hope we will always have those kind of stores where you can explore books in a way that’s different than online. That’s why I was particularly happy that Barnes & Noble chose my book, The Refuge as one of the books in their Uplifting Summer Reading promotion.
The Refuge is half price online and at Barnes & Noble stores. I sent out a newsletter today sharing that information along with news from down here on the farm and those parting shots to make you smile. As always, there’s a giveaway too. This time I’m giving away books along with Barnes & Noble gift cards to celebrate their Uplifting Summer Reading promo. If you didn’t get a newsletter and would like to, just say so in the comments. Or you can sign up for the newsletter in the margin of my website. (That might not get you this one I already sent, but it would the next one.) I send out maybe six or seven newsletters each year and enjoy hearing from all of you. This time some of the newsletter readers are sharing about their best summers. Maybe that could be a time when you sat on the swing and had plenty of time for reading.
Books are to the mind as the whetstone for the knives.” ― Rainbow – the shades of love
As always, thanks for reading.
Comments 10
Once I enter a bookstore, I am practically there for life! I love books and bookstores and cannot get enough of them!!! I am not into e-readers, Kindles or any of the electric stuff! I want that actual book in my hands!!!
Author
You’re not alone on that wanting the physical book in hand, Linda Diane. I’ve heard from many readers who feel the same. I do too but I do sometimes read on a Kindle app or my Nook. But the book is better and bookstores are the best.
I can’t believe how many book stores have closed around my area. I loved Borders and had 2 that I always went two. Barnes and Noble had a few but now only one and they do not have a good selection of Christian fiction books. Walmart and Sam’s Club has cut done on their selection of books in my area. There is are two independently owned book store 20 and 30 minutes from me but they don’t carry Christian Fiction books. No more used books stores around anymore, they all closed up. My favorite used book store closed a few years ago because the owner was raising the rent and wouldn’t settle with the Dan, the book store owner. Dan didn’t want to move all his books a third time so he decided to close and retire. I now shop online or go to the library hoping they have the books I’m looking for.
Author
And you miss the fun of discovering a book on a shelf that you didn’t even know about, but that turns out to be a favorite, Karen. Yes, very sad, but I suppose price and convenience trumps with those online stores.
Love going to bookstores also. Never have enough time there. Think I could spend days just reading titles and covers. Feel sad so many stores are closing. Lifeway just closed in Jackson on Union’s campus. We do have a new store opening soon tho. Can hardly wait.
Looking forward to reading your newest release.
Prayers
Gail B
Author
Thank you, Gail. I appreciate you wanting to read my books. And I hope that new bookstore makes it in your area. A Christian bookstore worker made a comment on my FB page that they pray all the time for customers to come into their store so that they can make enough profit to stay open. So sometimes we have to remember to shop local to keep the stores in our areas open. Not just bookstores but other stores too.
We have had several bookstores, Christian and Secular in our city but sadly they have all closed . Unless we travel 30 or 45 miles away we buy used books at the Library or Habitat Restore, or Goodwill. Occasionally you can find a new book but mostly older ones. I love to feel and smell the books and can’t do that if you order online, but settle for that a lot of time. Maybe someday we will be lucky enough to get a new store but until then will just settle for what we have.
Author
It makes me sad that so many bookstores are closing, Donna, but then I shop online too. However I’m like you that I prefer to see those books in my hands when I’m deciding to buy them. I’m fortunate that while our town has never had a bookstore, a specialty gift and food store in the middle of my downtown called Tastefully Delicious has stocked all my recent books to make them available to local readers. They have other local authors and Kentucky books too. Fun place to visit not only for the books but for the delicious food and gift items. I need to go visit to see if they have some garden tomatoes. 🙂
But to go to a general all kinds of books store, I have to drive the same distance as you.
I love bookstores! Barnes and Noble is great and can be found in nearly every city I’ve been to. And I love browsing the stacks at Joseph Beth. I used to go to Bohanan’s in Georgetown, but sadly they’re closed now. That little book shop carried lots of previously read treasures.
Books take you anywhere you dream of going, when you have to be where you are.
Author
We have a Barnes & Noble in Lexington which isn’t too far from me. I hope the B&N people can hang onto those stores. It’s sad to think about bookstores closing.
I never made it to Bohanan’s, Lavon, but I did hear about it. Poor Richard’s is still going in Frankfort, I think.