Used Book Shoppe

Way back in the day I went to high school (back in '93) I read voraciously. I would forsake eating to lie in my bed and read. I read Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, and anything historical I could find. I had friends, but they read as much as I. In Corvallis, Oregon, which is a college town, there was no shortage of used bookstores. In Livingston, Montana it is a different story. The used bookstores have come and gone. Once there was the Elliot ran by a close friend of the family, but people move on and I have a sneaking suspicion that bookstores are a hard way to make a living.

So my current book situation is dismal. I have never been one to read the best seller lists, but I broke down and bought a grocery store general fiction #3 on the bestseller by Julie Garland. It took me a day to finish. So 7.99$ for one day of entertainment? Not the kind of book bargain for which I am looking. Next stop is the Thrift shops. It is a good deal, $0.25 per paperback. The selection however is eclectic at best. I found $0.75 worth of books. A Nora Roberts. A Ken Follett about the last flight of the Transatlantic Clipper on the dawn of WWII. It is a book that is only sold in England, so the book has made a transatlantic trip itself. The book carefully points out that it is not for sale in Canada. Good thing I bought it in the good ole US of A.

The next $0.25 I spent was on Little Stalker by Jennifer Belle. I bought it because it had a label that said "Uncorrected Manuscript for Limited Distribution" and "Pub Date May 2007." What are the chances of me finding this in The Community Closet? I was going through my books and my husband asked about what I bought. When I told him about Little Stalker he wanted to look at it. As he read the first 3 pages he told me I was going to like it because it was hilarious. Which it is (the first 5 pages anyway).

He and I discuss how that book could end up there. He suggested the writer lives here, no go she is a New Yorker. I suggest that a book reviewer lives here. As I start to read the book I discover that the main character loves the work of Arthur Weeman and that reminds me of Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter. She discusses the calming of a toddler tantrum with the mutual hatred of a person whom I thought was Arthur Weeman. I got goose bumps thinking of this strange coincidence. Upon further research she and her son mutually dislike of Anthony Newley resolved the conflict. So there was no coincidence there. I did some more poking around on the internet to no avail. I cannot find the local reviewer. I have another feeling that the person has a blog.

Then I said to my hubby, “That’s a good way to get cheap books, become a reviewer and get them for free.”

He replied, “Or you could just go to the library.”