Do you ever wake up and say, “I love my job?” I do. Writing is a wonderful opportunity to think and grow, and I revel in the experience every day. Yes, the pay sucks, but the lifestyle can’t be beat. Every person you meet is a new story; every place you go becomes a wonderland.
And last week was no exception. I did my annual trek to the Detroit area and had a blast with family and friends for ten days straight. I only wish I could jot down all of my experiences, but that would make this post several thousand words long. So today, I’ll just share my Ann Arbor afternoon in search of bookstores with you.
Ann Arbor Bookstores
You may already be familiar with Ann Arbor, or as the locals call it “A-Squared.” It is the home of the University of Michigan and the great sports teams of the Wolverines. Ann Arbor also boasts one of the largest and more successful art fairs each summer. It was a thrill to return to the place where my good guy studied and received his masters degree in business, recognizing this and being freshly introduced to that.
Ann Arbor must see–Aunt Agatha’s mystery books
My mission (which I shamelessly dragged my sister through), was to visit Aunt Agatha’s mystery book store on 4th Avenue. This mystery store received the 2014 Raven Award from Mystery Writers of America, and I’ve made it a goal to visit ever since.
No disappointment, Aunt Agatha’s was a delightful collection of mystery served every way you could want, from the dark reaches of Jeffery Deaver to cozies by Maggie Sefton. Wonderful! Of course, Sis and I picked up a couple of new treasures. I bought “An Idiot’s Guide to Private Investigating” (bwaa,ha,ha, ha, ha!) and the “Edgar Allan Poe Keepsake Journal,” the latter of which I’ll be giving away in my WINTER NEWSLETTER (so be sure to sign up to be on my mailing list if you haven’t already done so).
Fun at the library has a whole new meaning in Ann Arbor.
We also visited the Ann Arbor Public library, a place that checks out the usual treasure trove of books, but so much more. I even stopped by the gigantic chess board in the main reading room and had some fun with it.
Next up was Literati, a wonderful place where a person could spend an hour just reading and re-reading quotes painted and printed everywhere, including a couple of my favorites, “Life, like this typewriter, has no backspace,” and the ever popular (and important), “Welcome Book Lover, You Are Among Friends.”
Sign of great things to come!
It was wonderful to see so much good reading opportunities, and bundled within easy walking distance of each other.
What about where you live?
Do you have a bookstore you’d like to share? Could you take a friend on a tour of that store? Even if yours is a “big box store” like Barnes and Noble, it’s a valid choice for finding a new friend. Did you know that each B&N is managed to serve the specific needs of its local community? Please tell me about your favorite bookstore. What sort of books does it carry? Are the managers particularly helpful or insightful? Are there good nooks and crannies to curl up in or do you prefer a minimalist shopping experience? If you had a million dollars to support your local bookstore, what would you do with it?
Wishing you a fun and creative week.