I have a cousin-once-removed visiting from the Denver area this week.
Where does one ordinarily take relatives who've never been to the San Francisco Bay Area? Fisherman's Wharf? Chinatown? Alcatraz? The crookedest street in the world? The rows of Victorian "Pink Ladies?"
None of the above. She's a great reader, especially of mystery, so a short time after picking her up, we were on our way to M is for Mystery in San Mateo. We spent more than two hours wandering around a nearly empty store—that's the sad part, but believe me we bought enough books to make up for a crowd! We walked together part of the time:
"Do you like this?"
"No!"
"Neither do I."
"How about this?"
"Loved it!"
"Me, too."
Then we'd split up, reading the first pages, browsing for authors on our list as well as ones we've heard about, sharing tips with each other.
Three shopping bags later, we left, very happy. And now my dining room table is piled with new authors and old favorites.
I've done signings for just about every one of my books at M is for .. and our local Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America chapters hold meetings and holiday parties there often. But I've never had the chance (or taken the time) to browse and SHOP for that long.
Next time maybe I won't wait for company to spend such a wonderful day.
9 comments:
I want to go, I want to go! I know we will do that some day in the future. How wonderful that your "cousin once removed" had a chance to go. She will be smiling about it for a long time, I'm sure. xoxoxoxox(share).
Great idea. It's always so crowded when I'm there because, like you, I only go for special events. It's hard to mingle at those events because I'm always looking over someone's shoulder at the book behind them.
Next time I have company, we're heading there. It's a Bay Area treasure.
I always like to visit independent bookstores, Camille, especially these days. And most particularly those that specialize in mysteries. That one sounds like fun!
I wish I could go there, too! I'm coming out that way in June, but unfortunately not getting any farther west than Sacramento -- and there only for 24 hours. But I love indies and like Terri, it's hard to mingle at an event because my eyes are browsing the shelves. We have two good mystery bookstores in Minneapolis, Once Upon A Crime and Uncle Edgar's.
It is always fun visiting a mystery book store. When I am in Houston, Texas I like to visit Murder By The Book. There are so many choices now for reading ... the library, Book stores, Reading devices like Kindle and Nook. I can't imagine the joy of books going away.
It sounds like an enjoyable shopping trip. I get emails from the store and wondered about the bookstore. Next time I'm up north, I'm stopping there for sure.
I'm happy to tour any visitor if you come by!
Sounds like a great place to spend the day. Sad that it was crowded.
Huzzah! This bookstore feels like home, and Ed and crew are FANTASTIC!!!!
They have tables at the film noir fest in SF every year, and I always buy new noir volumes there, and at least once a month or so in the store.
LOVE MisfM!!!!!
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