An Old-fashioned Bookstore

I love e-books. I do. They are quick and easy and convenient - especially on vacation. But I also still love physical books. I can't tell you how many times I have loved a book so much that I've actually hugged it to my chest. There is nothing like the look and feel and smell of a book that you can hold in your hands. And, I love old-fashioned bookstores - those small, cozy places that are tucked away in secret spots in your city or town.

I grew up in Andover, Masschusetts. It's a beautiful New England town, perhaps best known for being the home of Phillips Academy, Andover. Or possibly, for being the hometown of Jay Leno. When I was a kid, almost every day after school, I'd stop into the Andover Bookstore. Some kids stopped at the candy store after school, but I went to the bookstore. (Okay, yes, sometimes I went to the candy store too!)

For me, the Andover Bookstore is the stuff of dreams. When you walk through the front door, you see, to your left, a wood-burning fireplace flanked by comfortable wing back chairs and a coffee table. In winter, the fire is lit and you are welcome to sit in those comfy chairs, warm yourself and look at the books. Immediately to your right is the old-fashioned, high, check-out counter built from some sturdy wood - oak, or perhaps mahogany. A set of stairs beyond the counter takes you up to a balconied area filled with books. Toward the back, stairs descend to what is now the children's section.

To the left, a few steps down lead to a sunken area, also filled with books. Built-in bookshelves line the walls and library-style shelves fill the room, creating aisles through which you can wander.

When I was a child, this sunken area housed the children's books. I loved stepping down those two or three stairs because I felt like I was entering a secret space filled with treasure. For me, it was a bit like Dorothy stepping out of her farmhouse and into the magical, colorful land of Oz. Sometimes I would touch the books, pick them up, admire the covers, read the inside flaps. But often I would just gaze at them. The folks behind the desk probably thought I was a bit coo-coo. But to me, these books and this bookstore represented true beauty.

My dream is to do a book reading and signing in this place that is so special to me. I am putting that thought out into the universe and will do what I can to make it come true. It would be like coming home to a place that I loved and where I felt my first true sense of belonging.

I am always delighted when I find small, local bookstores in places that I visit. Santa Fe, where I live now, is also lucky to have a couple of these: The Collected Works Bookstore and Garcia Street Books. These places, where the smells of old, polished wood and books mingle in tight and cozy quarters, are rare and precious treasures. 

Do you have a special favorite bookstore? I'd love to hear about it. You can check out the Andover Bookstore via this link:

http://www.andoverbookstore.com/news/txp/

Book Release: Following the Whispers by Karen Walker

Exciting news for author Karen Walker. Her memoir, Following the Whispers, is now available on Smashwords for just $2.99. I just purchased it and downloaded in to Kindle for PC. Can't wait to read it!

 Read more on Karen's blog at:

http://karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com/

and buy the book  at 

http://smashwords.com/

The Way Things Happen

I've used this post title before, and I'll probably use it again, because I am always interested in and amazed by the way things happen. In this case I am thinking about my decision to go ahead and self-publish my book - especially with regard to the timing of several coinciding events.

I am one who believes there are no coincidences. Here are the things that happened that made me feel that I was being supported in this choice:

**Earlier this year, I reconnected with a high school friend, Arthur Wooten, who has successfully published several books. We started talking about writing and publishing, and now I think of him as my publishing mentor. He is amazingly generous with advice and support.

**My Mom passed away in March. To my surprise, she left us some money. It's not a fortune, but even divided between three children, it's Not Nothing either.

**I learned of this money around the first of June. Okay - now those of you who think astrology is a bunch of hooey need to tune out for a minute. On the first of June there was a solar eclipse. It was in my "8th house of other people's money," which includes inheritances. Eighth house money is intended to allow you to pursue a dream that would otherwise be beyond your reach.  Okay, I've got chills now.

In early June, I let my agent, Kate, know that I was thinking about self-publishing, and felt that if a large publisher didn't pick up my book soon, I would prefer to go that route than to pursue smaller publishers. On June 17th, the day before my mother's memorial service, Kate said she had struck out with another publisher and that if self-publishing was in my mind, that perhaps I should go ahead and start that process. Kate believes in my book and I think she really wants to see it out in the world too - one reason being that her daughter keeps asking her, "Mom, is it a book yet???"

At this point, everything just seemed to settle. The timing of Kate's message with my mother's memorial was too "coincidental" to overlook. Mom was a hard working secretary, God bless her, and she had unexpectedly given me the resources I need to realize my dream. It's mid-year, there is plenty of time to create the book, develop a good marketing strategy, and roll the book out this fall. It all feels right.

So there you go. Now someone asked if I would share the costs of my self-publishing effort, and I'll be glad to. I purchased these services from Createspace: Total Design Freedom Book Interior, Custom Illustrated Cover, and Kindle-ebook conversion. That all comes to $1798, of which the custom illustrated cover is the largest part (usually $1500 but they gave it to me for $1300 - they gave me a deal on combining the services and threw in the e-book free - it's usually $69. I also sprung for an additional $75 for a Library of Congress number. That might be a waste of money but I figured it didn't hurt to do it. They also gave me 50 free copies of my book. I'll have to pay for more, but it's not a lot per book.

I'm starting my marketing plan next, so any and all ideas are welcome. My book is set at Christmas time and it's called The Christmas Village. It's about a sad 12-year old boy who finds himself magically transported into his grandmother's miniature Christmas Village, and back to the year 1932. It's technically middle-grade fiction, fantasy/adventure, but it appeals to younger and slightly older children as well. And, it's meant to be a story that adults will enjoy and can feel good about giving to the children in their lives. I think of it as kind of "It's a Wonderful Life meets Back to the Future."