An Hour at a Used Book Sale
Hi Friends,
Happy Wednesday. I have a special treat for you. My friend and fellow author, Jill Kemerer, is guest-posting today. I’m always excited to read her fun-filled posts.
~Dani
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was buying used books. In the summer, we’d go to flea markets and garage sales, and I’d always spend any money I had on books. I tended to gravitate to the boxes marked ten cents or a quarter. The best sign was always the Fill a Bag for “X”. An entire bag of books for a dollar or two? Yes!
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to flea market or garage sale, so when one of our local libraries—Way Public Library—in Perrysburg, Ohio, sent out a newsletter mentioning their ongoing used book sale located in the basement, I took note. And when I saw they offered two sizes of bags for two low prices?
I was in!
Last Friday I finished work early and headed out. When I arrived at the library, I went straight to the basement and debated what size bag to grab. The small for five bucks? Or the large for $12.50? The small didn’t seem all that little, so I went with that one. I could always upgrade, right?
The instant I entered the room with its shelves and tables full of used books, I was lost in the best possible way. Typically, I buy books at our local Barnes & Noble, a grocery store, or I order them online.
I was the only shopper downstairs, so I slowly studied the spines in all the nonfiction sections, skimmed the hardcover books jammed together on one of the tables, and perused the paperbacks.
There was a really good selection of inspirational novels. It was fun seeing so many books I’d read over the years.
I’m not an impulse shopper, so I began to stack all the strong maybes. When I reached the cookbook section, I kept my hands tucked in my pockets. I don’t have room for many cookbooks, so I try not to buy them! And as tempted as I was to buy a few new-to-me workout DVDs, I knew I had plenty.
After checking the fiction paperbacks twice, I reviewed my stack to narrow down my selection. When I placed them all in the small bag, I was shocked to see I still had room!
It took about three minutes to remedy that. Soon I was on my way back upstairs to pay. Five dollars later, I carried my books outside and made my way to my car, feeling light and happy and like a twelve-year-old at the flea market once more.
On Saturday, I made my first reading selection, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Since the weather was amazing, I sat outside and began to read. And I did something I used to do all the time as a kid but rarely have time for now.
I finished the book in one sitting.
It was exactly what I needed. An hour at a used book sale. A five-dollar bag of old books. And a Saturday reading a novel straight through. I’ll be smiling for a week!
Do you ever go to used book sales? Or do you prefer to buy them new?
Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. She hopes to encourage readers through her books the way so many books have encouraged her. Jill’s essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books, her mini-doxie, and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. For more information, visit her website, jillkemerer.com.
