Late morning on a gorgeous, sunny, warm Saturday in Seattle I stepped out of the Sinking Ship garage and paused to let a long line of tourists pass. Underground Seattle Tour? Finally able to cross the street, I felt the delicious cool breeze off the water playing in the tall trees, and felt a little skip in my walk as I passed a man playing a jaunty tune on his banjo, accompanying himself on harmonica. Swung round the corner and up the hill about 15 steps and entered Seattle Mystery Bookshop just in time to hear Adele say, "Well, why don't you ask her?" And Sandy Dengler turned around and asked, "So why Emma Campion?" I hadn't seen Sandy in years! And so my delicious time in one of my favorite bookstores began. Reunion, chatter about writers we know, what we've been doing--she completed a PhD in paleontology! (I feel such a slacker), and a group chat about books we're reading, with Adele and Janine chiming in. And oh, yes, I did sign books! And then.... I was free to browse. Browse in a bookstore. A realio trulio bookstore, a place in which I can pick up a book, read the back cover, consider it along with the other titles on the shelf, feel the weight of it, the interesting texture of the cover. And with staff who can tell me whether or not I need to begin at the beginning for a particular series, who can help me remember the last name of an author, who can suggest other WWI series.... Bliss. BLISS! I walked out with about $100 worth of books and a smile on my face that had strangers on the street smiling back at me.
There are a few more copies of A TRIPLE KNOT and THE KING'S MISTRESS signed by my alter ego here at the shop--grab them!
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