For The Love Of The Book

I heard an interesting conversation the other day. An independent bookstore owner said he was sick and tired of folks coming into his store just to check out what they can buy on Amazon.

Really. Who does that?

Why do people use the bookstore as a showroom for Amazon? Well, the answer is simple. Price. And unfortunately, the "look inside" feature on Amazon is not enough for some folk. They like to see the book first. Sounds crazy, but it's true.

Unless, of course, you buy e-books. But that's another story.

Just like everything else, the cost of a book has gone up. I had to sympathize with the store owner, and yet we all know it's a dying business. Personally, I love the bookstore experience. Browsing, taking my time to leaf through books, the smell of coffee, the soft chair to sit and read a chapter or two. Discovering a new author and buying that debut novel! I love it. And I've begun to use Amazon as a place to find books I want to buy in bookstores. It's my own personal fight to keep the brick and mortar stores alive as long as possible.

I remember when my publisher was debating on whether or not to make my novel, Televenge, a hardback or trade. Hardback novels, especially for debut novels, are "prestigious" and supposed to show a certain amount of "class" for the author. It's been said that some of the bigger book reviewers won't even review a trade. But these times ... they are a-changin'.

Televenge in hardback would've cost upward to around $35.00. It's 580 pages, after all. My concern ... I wanted people to buy it! Some readers only have so much money in their book budget. So we decided on trade paperback, at the low cost of $19.95. What a deal. And I still got reviewed by The Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

You've heard me say it before, but I love the feel and smell of paper and ink. A book you can hold in your hands, whether old or new, is a wondrous thing. That's not to say that e-books aren't great, because they are. They've got their place and lots of folks love them. But the entire bookstore experience is what I'm talking about today. Before it all goes away, like Blockbuster video and Woolworth's, enjoy your time in your nearest independent bookstore. Buy birthday, Christmas, and Mother's Day gifts from your local book merchant. Browse the store, notice the little things, the smells, the feel of the books, the light in the room, burn it into your memory. Because one day, that's all it will be. A memory.

Blessings to you and yours.

Who Is He, Really?

 



Last night the family attended the 69th Annual performance of Handel's Messiah in a town about an hour from where we live. My brother-in-law, Gordon, has sung in this event since 1963. Since he was in the 8th grade. He's now 62. You do the math. The other amazing thing is that he still uses his original music book. He's never missed a performance. I was so moved by the entire evening, I thought to myself ... why is this my first time here?

The orchestra, the soloists, the choir ... many of these men and women return year after year, donating their time to uplift the community with Handel's musical score, now centuries old.

Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father ... The Prince of Peace ... how can anyone not feel the spirit of God in these words? And I got to thinking ... I'm so tired of religion, so tired of everyone telling me, for years, how to find favor with God. It was in that dark auditorium the tears came. Not the warm fuzzies either. There's a difference between getting your insides tickled a little and the warmth of knowing when you're being surrounded by the love of your Savior.

I know this is a bit off for me, but you see ... I've never left my faith. Never let go of my beliefs. Oh, I've lost my way many times. But was always found. Always found.

And last night ... I realized that even with this 200 year-old music, I can still hear His voice. Still feel the warmth of His presence. Thousands of years have past, and He is still waiting for us to accept Him. Still here. Despite how we feel about Him. How we've turned Him away. How the world views Him. He will always be wonderful, a counsellor, a mighty God, our everlasting Father ... He remains our Prince of Peace. And nothing you or I say or do will ever change that.

Blessings to you and yours this season.