I call it imagination.
I wandered the bookstore yesterday looking for such a place. Isn't this a place where dreams are realized?
I tend not to go through the new book arrivals, don’t know why, I just go through the stacks waiting for a book to jump out at me—I’ve had astounding luck so far, recent reads: The Year of the Hare (Paasilinna), How to Bake a Happy Life (O’Neal) Loved it! Older protagonist, heroine’s point of view, a troubled teenager’s point of view, a grandmother’s, a newly found old flame, a new romance, a dream come true, a dog. It is all mixed up with bread recipes that almost made me run to the kitchen, and pull out pans and flour. So far I’ve resisted that temptation. The Lost Recipe for Happiness (O’Neal), Home to Woefield ( Judy), Men and Dogs (Crouch), I’m Over all That (MacLaine), Going Bovine (Bray). The Bushman Way of Tracking God (Keeney).
A question: Why is it that almost every book has “New York Times Bestseller,” printed into its cover? And, do bookstores only stock bestsellers? And how does one get on a best seller list if bookstores do not stock them until they are? Makes my brain ache.
My hand just doesn’t work anymore to open a book that tells me upfront that it will break my heart, that it is bittersweet, that family tragedy propels the protagonist forward. Oh, I know about conflict—“Without conflict you have no story.” I know a plot line is “Chase hero up tree. Throw rocks at hero. Get hero out of tree.” Still I want to feel good when the book is over, and although I have read quite a few Dean Koontz, and admire him, I’ve over-read ways to kill a person.
And then walking out with a book entitled Three Junes—although it doesn’t seem to be the one I thought I was getting--I think my friend June was on my mind, anyway, walking out of the bookstore I pick up Dick Van Dyke’s My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business, and read that his life wasn’t always easy, broke at times, early show business struggles, wife miscarries twins, but he moves through life with flair such as he had when we saw him dancing on the rooftops in Mary Poppins to the tune of “Step in Time,” with the chimney sweeps.”
How cool it that?!
P.S. Roses cut all within 10 feet of our front door.
Another, How cool is that?
