On the Joys of Used Book Stores . . .

Yes, I love book stores, but I especially love USED book stores. Anyone with a limited book buying budget knows that it will not always be possible to get the latest books without using up all the designated funds. But if one is patient and willing to "troll" through a variety of locations, it is possible to make one's funds stretch quite a bit further by latching on to used books.

I recently Googled "used book stores" and found that there was one right about 10 miles from our little unincorporated area in So. California. Oh Happy Day!! The surprising reality is that it is located right across the street from one of our family's favorite restaurants in Palmdale, CA and I never really paid much attention. Today I managed to find a somewhat flimsy excuse to drive the 10 miles (not considered very far in our locality) to check out this store. Lo and behold, it is quite extensive with a really LONG wall full of romance novels of all kinds. Now I didn't get any of the top four authors I was hoping to find. But I did find four books that were written by some of my favorite authors: two by Sandra Hill: Wild Jinx (2008) and The Cajun Cowboy (2004); one by Tracy Anne Warren: The Wedding Trap (2006); and one by Sophia Nash: A Dangerous Beauty (2007). The Warren book is the third in a trilogy I started earlier this summer on my travels to Minnesota. The other three are books I don't know anything about but I really like those two authors, especially Sandra Hill who is one of the wittiest writers around.

This little used book store also sells new books and is called the Li'l Book Bug, located on West Palmdale Blvd, right off Fwy 14. They also have a Facebook page where lots of specials are usually posted. (Just thought I would do a little commercial for one of our local book vendors.) Used books stores seem to be few and far between in our area so I was delighted to find this one.

My other reason for haunting used book stores is because there are often older novels that are not mentioned due to there being around for a few years, that are real romance fiction gems. So I try to make a monthly trip to such a store if there is one that is relatively convenient. Usually the owner/proprietor of such an establishment is a great lover of books and is so well versed in almost all the literary genres. What a resource. I have been delighted in the past when I have found books that are out of print.

So here's hoping that each of you has a used book store which you haunt on a regular basis, and if not, here's hoping that someone will find the resources and desire sufficient to open one in your area of the planet. Bye for now . . .