Bookshop Retail Therapy

JRR Tolkein

My favourite bookshop had their pre-Christmas sale tonight with wine and cheeses and lots of laughs.  I went with the best intentions to shop for others and I did . . . truly.  I bought my brother the latest Michael Connolly and I bought my daughter two wonderful books as well.  But then there was The Complete Annotated Book of Fairytales and Felicity Pulman’s Rosemary for Remembrance Rue for Repentance, Kim Wilkin’s The Autumn Castle and Sharon Penman’s Time and Chance.  And most specially Mr.Bliss . . . beautifully printed and in a dark green cloth-covered slip cover.  My altruism went out the window.  I had shopped for myself.  Hardly the spirit of giving.  But then I paid for it all with my mother’s birthday gift to me, so guilt doesn’t weigh quite so heavily.

The best part of the whole evening however, was when the store owner sought me out to say that my own two titles, The Stumpwork Robe and The Last Stitch had required more orders placed with the distributor.  I just hope they arrive from the UK  in time for Christmas for the Australian readers.