Once, Therefore Always...

Bookseller (book-sel-er) n. 1. A person whose occupation or business is selling books. 2. A person who previously sold books, whose heart and soul still belong to the printed word, regardless of their career path.

Sometimes you just have to reconnect with your roots. As I'll tell anyone willing to listen, bookseller isn't just an occupation—it isn't just something we do, it's something we are. While it's true that I haven't made my living in the book biz in eleven years, I'm no less emotionally connected to the industry and my bookselling identity. I still buy physical books, prefer to buy them from real, independent bookstores, and feel compelled to support those stores whenever possible. 

Case in point: Last Tuesday, I jumped into the car after work and drove to one of my favorite indie stores, to go to my favorite author's book signing. Win-win. Robert Crais hadn't been to Northern California on tour in nine years, so I was thrilled to see that Book Passage was hosting a reading and signing of his latest novel, The Wanted. I had no intention of missing the event, late night be damned.

Why would I undertake a nearly 200-mile round trip in the middle of the week to get a signed book?

1. See "bookseller" above.
2. I'll always go out of my way to support indies that host author events.
3. I fell in love with Bob's recurring characters, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike in the late 80s.
4. As illustrated elsewhere in this space, I can be a bit of a fangirl at times.

There's nothing quite like hearing someone whose work you admire talk about the writing process and the amount of research and hard work that go into creating his bestsellers. Bob talked about how attached he's become to Elvis and Joe over the past 30 years, answered audience questions, and made wise cracks Elvis would be proud of.

I chatted with a woman sitting nearby before the event began. She'd only read one book, and wanted to know what it is that keeps me interested in the series. I told her I've long wished Joe and Elvis were real people, because I would want to know them. They're good, honorable men trying to stay true to themselves and navigate life's challenges with grace. Joe Pike's signature shades hide the pain in his ice-blue eyes, and his red arrow tattoos remind him there is no going backward. Elvis Cole looks for bits of magic where he can find them, not giving a damn that the Pinocchio clock and Jiminy Cricket figurines in his office are a disconnect from what most people expect to see when they hire a PI. The strength of their bond is a beautiful definition of friendship.

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike have been real to me for more than 25 years, the sign of a truly gifted author. Did I pay for the late night the next day? Yep. But I'll do it again without a moment's hesitation.