We have a locally owned bookstore in my area called Always Buying Books. They are extremely involved in the community. They donate books to libraries, jails, and other worthy organizations. They sponsor contests and events. In fact, they recently sponsored a writing conference for the Joplin Writers’ Guild, my original writers group.
Every once in a while they host Girls Night Out. They invite women age 16 and over to come into the store from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., register for great prizes, enjoy yummy snacks, and take advantage of significant savings. There are people walking around helping us find specific items, bringing us boxes, and making sure we registered for the door prizes.
Mom, my sister, and I met at the store and navigated through the crowd of eager lady readers. We spent approximately forty-five minutes dancing around other customers and filling boxes with amazing deals. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The energy in that store was palpable. The crowd was a sea of smiling faces.
My only regret is that I didn’t make it to the mystery section. There were so many people in the aisle that I took one look and took my treasures to the checkout line.
Even without any mysteries, I bought sixteen books. You might be thinking that I spent a fortune. One of the great things about Girls Night Out is that everything was on sale. It was a serious sale, too. I spent a total of $21.93 at the bookstore. That’s less than a good meal in a nice restaurant.
I won’t be able to read my new books for a while. I’m busy judging a writing competition right now. When I finish judging, I will work on proofreading a book for a friend. Then I’ll read another friend’s book and prepare a review in time for her book launch. When I finish all of that, I have plenty of my own work that needs attention.
You may wonder why I bought so many books knowing I won’t be able to immediately start one. Aside from the great prices, I to like have a to-be-read stack close at hand. I always take a book to doctor appointments and anywhere I’m likely to be stuck in a waiting room for any amount of time. I read an entire novel last year while stuck on a plane in a holding pattern above the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. We circled the airport for several long hours due to a thunderstorm severe enough it forced the airport to close.
I love great stories. I feel most content curled up in an overstuffed chair, surrounded by books with a steaming cup of coffee next to me. I love my local bookstore that makes book shopping so much fun.
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