Book Lover, The by McFadden Maryann

Author:McFadden, Maryann [McFadden, Maryann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: book lover, nature, women’s fiction, paraplegics, So Happy Together, The Richest Season, independent bookstores, bird refuges, women authors, Maryann McFadden, book clubs, divorce, libraries & prisons, writers, parole, self-publishing
Publisher: Three Women Press
Published: 2012-04-23T06:00:00+00:00

23

WHEN RUTH FINALLY CALLED DEBORA at Chapter One Books in Belvidere a week later to suggest sharing a room at the convention, she was stunned at Debora’s news. With a calm resignation that Ruth couldn’t quite fathom, Debora told her she was closing her store the following week.

“Oh, Deb, isn’t there something—”

“Ruth, I’m done,” she interrupted. “I’ve spent the years like a college kid with an addiction, living hand to mouth and putting every cent I own into the store. No wonder my husband almost left me. It’s time to let go.”

“What will you do?”

She heard a big sigh. “I don’t know. Take a few weeks off. Go visit my daughter in Atlanta. They’d love for us to move there. But I also have to get a real job.”

“Deb, this is—”

“I know it’s a real job. It’s three jobs. But to the outside world, it just looks like an obsession, throwing these little book events, reading in our spare time between customers…”

“Come on, not everyone feels that way.”

“Sorry, I’m just cranky.”

“No, I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do—”

“Just listen to what they’ve been saying at the conventions the past few years. Everything has been about diversifying and I just kept ignoring it. I didn’t want to be a barista or a post office or a gift shop. I just wanted to sell books.”

“Actually, I have been thinking about it.”

“Good. And you need to do more events, too. That was my downfall—I just found them exhausting and it’s so hard sometimes trying to convince the publicists why their big authors should come way out here where you never know how many people will show up.”

Deb’s store was in a sleepy town with little traffic. Ruth wasn’t sure how Deb had lasted this long, but wanted to say something on a positive note. “They need to remember that after their author leaves, we hand sell those signed copies. A signed copy is a sold copy.”

“I’m going to miss it, though. There’s something magical about this business, that I think people on the outside will never understand. I thought I’d grow old and die in this store.”

“Well, I’ve gotten to the growing old part,” Ruth joked, trying to lighten Deb’s mood.

“Oh, come on, Ruth. They call it ‘vintage’ now, don’t they? It makes you more valuable.”

“Well, this vintage bookseller is about to have another milestone. In fact, our downtown revitalization project is finally getting proactive. We’re planning to start First Friday Walks and the first one is going to coordinate with my store’s anniversary celebration coming up in the fall.”

“That’s right, what is it—twenty years?”

“Would you believe thirty?”

“Jesus, Ruth, you are a legend. That is a milestone, especially in our business. I wish you all the luck in the world. I’ve had my husband all these years. You’ve done it alone.”

“Well, I’m hanging on by my fingernails here, though after August I can relax a bit. Megan’s made the Stephanie Meyer vampire releases our biggest event of the year, a midnight costume party, and of course a prepaid book purchase is your ticket in.

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