Perhaps it’s my destiny in life to relate to books in almost every possible way. I read them. I sell them. I’ve helped edit them. I’m writing some of my own. And I’m in two books, too. When I was growing up, my dad, Jon Remmerde, wrote a memoir of the eight and-a-half years our …
I read Kenmore, Washington author Kirby Larson’s Newbery Honor-winning book Hattie Big Sky when it came out in 2007. The story of 16-year-old Hattie, who moves to Montana by herself to try to prove up on a homestead claim left to her by her bachelor uncle, completely captured my heart, and I hand-sold it to everyone I …
I’m always interested to hear about bookseller-writers, so I was curious to read Miriam Forster’s debut novel, City of a Thousand Dolls, and happy to get to ask her some questions. Forster worked at Rediscovered Books in Boise, Idaho until recently, when she moved to Portland, Oregon. She maintains a delightful blog at msforster.blogspot.com. City …
It started when I saw the new movie of The Hobbit. Although I was in the middle of another book at the time–a new book, adult fiction, just the kind I always think I should read to keep up with my field–I couldn’t help it; I started to re-read The Hobbit. Never mind that I’ve …
On a college trip to England, I wandered off by myself to explore a small town. I wanted to find a bookstore, and I wanted to find a very specific book. It was not a book I had ever seen, yet I thought it must exist. As I entered a secondhand and antiquarian bookstore, I …
If you live in Oregon and enjoy hiking, you probably know William Sullivan as the author of many excellent guidebooks. He has written and published five hiking guides to cover different regions of the state, as well as additional books of special things to do and see in Oregon. His narrative nonfiction is also well-known; Listening …
I’ve met Kaya McLaren in person only once, but I feel like I know her. A few years ago when she was in Central Oregon, she stopped into Paulina Springs Books with her dog, Big Cedar. We talked for a few minutes before she revealed that she is an author. She was so sweet and genuine–when I …
I used to work at one of those large chain bookstores. Yes, one of those places we indies used to consider the big, bad wolf, until Amazon’s rise to power made us all realize who the wolf really is. I needed a job, it was a job in books, and I took it. I appreciated …
I grew up in Baker County, Oregon and visited the bookstore Betty’s Books on town trips. Betty’s Books sits squarely in the middle of downtown Baker City, on Main Street. It has been in operation since 1979 (when I was three) and is my original model for the magic bookshop. What is a magic bookshop? …
Handselling books is one of my favorite parts of my job. There’s nothing more gratifying than talking about a book I enjoyed, seeing a customer’s eyes light up, and hearing her say, “That sounds great. I think I’ll get that one.” It gives me a little thrill every time. It’s especially fun when the customer …
