Yesterday I drove to Sylva to sign books at City Lights--a fine independent bookstore that has hosted events for each of my six previous books. It felt like old times.
Almost. There was no room full of readers waiting to hear me talk, no table with wine and nibbly bits, in fact, no event.
There was a very nice cat named Cedric and the lovely, heart-warming feel of being in a bookstore.
I signed books...and bought some too.
I always buy books when I visit an independent bookstore. Times have been rough for them since the advent of Amazon and the pandemic hasn't made things easier.
But many are hanging on, valued community assets that they are. City Lights is one such beacon. Shopping there, or at any indy, feels like a vote for preserving civilization.
Here's a link to City Lights (their shipping rates, by the way, are quite reasonable) and another link to a list of independent bookstores.