Fiction

Bookstores and libraries are my favorite places, or my son would say my obsession. I can spend hours wandering around, following my curiosity to my next book. Books changed my life. I became an author for my love of writing and passion for books and reading.

In bookshops, my creativity feasts on book-related merchandise, handcrafted journals, and books! Bookstores are important. They are a lifeline to learning about new books and finding unique writing materials. In addition to my book obsession, I also have a strong tendency to purchase journals during my travels. Earlier this year, I thought of driving around the country, visiting libraries and bookstores, and then sharing my experiences with readers. I have added this idea to my 2023 to-do list.

The first part of the list is my favorite bookstores I have visited and purchased books. The second part of the list is my favorite bookstores that I follow on Instagram.    

London, UK

Hatchards on Piccadilly 

In 2018, when I was speaking at a conference in the U.K., I had an opportunity to visit Hatchards. The whole experience was overwhelming as I roamed around, scanning the books. Deciding which books to purchase was a difficult task. While we were in London, I made multiple trips. The sensation of being in the store, thinking of the authors who had held their book signings while gazing at the brilliant book collections, was inspiring. The store ooze of literature intelligence. I thought of all the stories, historical tales, and poems waiting to be discovered and read.

East Sandwich, MA, USA

Titcomb’s Book Shop

Last year, my son and I drove to the East Coast, and I discovered Titcomb’s Book Shop in East Sandwich, MA, which reminded me of Hatchards. We were on a tight travel schedule, and I had only twenty minutes to shop. Titcomb’s is one of the coolest bookshops I’ve visited. The books, merchandise, calendars, vintage books, and everything I saw instantly charged my creative batteries. I could have spent a day in the store, which is an excellent reason to plan a return trip! If you are visiting Cape Cod, be sure to stop by Titcomb’s.

Carmel, California, USA

Pilgrims Way Community Bookstore and Secret Garden

On my first visit to Pilgrims Way, I purchased a book that would change my life. At the time, I didn’t know that the road I was traveling would shift course. The store has a curated collection of books for the mind, heart, and soul, plus best-selling authors. Each time I visited the bookstore, I discovered a book that would leave a lasting impact on my life. Unfortunately, this is the last bookstore in the Carmel area. 

Dallas, Texas, USA

Half Price Books

About three times a month, I visit the Flagship Half Price Book stores, I’ve had three book signing events at this location, and the staff is always friendly and helpful. Management is supportive of local authors, even though the store is focused on selling used books. When researching a book, I always go to Half Price because I can always find unique books that are out of print or no longer available. HPB is like a second home, as I can spend an hour or more in the store. 

Austin, Texas, USA

 Book People

In 2014, I had my first book signing event at Book People. The thrill of having my book on the shelf and people listening to what I had to say was exhilarating. The store is two stories filled with a fantastic collection of books. 

Instagram Favorites 

These are the bookshops I follow on Instagram that I love based on their posts and websites. 

Paris, France 

Shakespeare & Company 

Where do you begin to write about Shakespeare & Company Bookstore in Paris? The original bookstore was founded by Silvia Beach in 1919. In April 1964, George Whitman renamed the bookstore he had started in Paris after Beach. Both Beach and Whitman were Americans and committed their lives to books, authors, and the printed word. 

Paris, France

Librairie Le Divan 

Following bookstores in Europe feels refreshing as the topics and stories are different. I also follow The American Library in Paris. I do not speak French. However, listening to author interviews, I think I’m in Europe, for a moment, on another adventure. 

Mystic, Connecticut, USA

Bank Square Books

I started following Bank Square Books after our trip to the East Coast. Unfortunately, the store was closed when I arrived, but I was able to window shop!

Belgrade Lakes, ME, USA

Oliver & Friends Bookshop

I love the story of how Oliver & Friends was founded. Most authors, at least the ones I know, dream of owning a bookstore. I know I do. Renee launched her business during the pandemic, and I admire her determination to succeed. 

Please take a few moments to purchase from an independent bookstore. Indie Bound is a great place to start. 

In September, I decided not to republish Proper Grey Areas. It was my second poetry collection released in 2020. After reviewing the book and discussing the next steps with Lynne Knight, my new editor, I let the book go. Proper Grey Areas has been removed from the market. I have learned that better things will arrive when we are willing to trust our gut and let go.

So, the new thing is a new book that focuses on flash fiction and short stories. The book may include a novelette. Since August, I’ve had several epiphanies related to my writing. I also discovered a hidden interest in writing flash fiction and short stories. This leads us to Mystic, Ct.

Why Mystic, Ct. It’s more than 1600 miles away. Why does my writer’s soul seek to be there? I have no clue. I know that four years ago, starting in September, my soul longed to visit Mystic, Ct, and Cape Cod. Each year, the feeling intensified. I could not understand why. My soul’s longing to walk around the village and write was intense. So, last Christmas (2021), my son and I made the trip. When we arrived in Plymouth, MA, my soul felt at home. I wrote about the experience in my January in my post 2021 Holiday Road Trip to New England.

In September, I shifted my focus to completing my seventh book, which may include several poems from Proper Grey Areas. One Sunday afternoon, I started writing a story about a young woman who made unexpected decision to quit her job and move halfway across the country to Mystic. In the story, she closes her eyes and places her finger on a map of the U.S., and under her finger is Mystic Sea Museum. This is how she determined where she was going. The story is set in the 1990s.

At first, I thought the story would be about the character (Nicole) finding herself by channelling Thoreau (Walden and Cape Cod). Last year, while walking on the Cape Cod beaches, I felt a tiny spark of transformative energy, and thought to myself – am I willing to accept the opportunity to change course? The tall cliffs lining the beaches were intimidating as they stand tall against the mighty and unforgiving Atlantic Ocean. Gazing across the ocean, I thought of Mystic, the community, river and bridge and the area felt like a protective womb for healing and rebirth.

Instead, as I have worked on the story, it shifted with Nicole becoming part of a fishing family in Mystic, Ct. The family is healing from the unthinkable loss of losing a key family member at sea. The men are fishermen who fish for lobster and Black Sea Bass in Long Island Sound. This shift has surprised me. However, my intuition nudges me to follow the story and its characters, so I continue write and conduct research.

As a result, I’ve been making phone calls to Mystic seeking information about the area and the fishing business during the 1990s. As an author, my goal is avoid writing mistakes about the fishing industry and community. I’m reading everything I can find about the area, history, and fishing industry. As the character and story change, my research shifts as well. Nicole is discovering an interest in Maritime history which has been added to my research list.

The seventh book also has two other stories that may interlink with the Mystic Ct. story. I am continuing the dystopian story, The Girl and Librarian from Insatiable Consumption of Being, which is about a world without color, creativity, or imagination. The story is also set in Mystic, Ct., the only place that has not been changed after the Event.

For now, my writer’s soul is hyper-focused on the Mystic, Ct, and the characters as they make their way through life. The story has been in my subconscious as I feel a strong internal pull to be near the ocean. To walk, like Thoreau, along miles of open beaches with the sea challenging my thoughts.

Rarely do I ask for “Cups of Coffee,” or donation tips for my writings. My focus and passion is telling stories and writing book. However, 2022 has been an interesting year, and due to family matters, I’ve lost six months of work. Therefore, in September, I launched a crowdfunding campaign to help offset the book costs of moving to a new distributor and to support the writing of this book. Please share the link if you know anyone who loves helping indie authors.

Thank you for your continued support.

As always – stay creative and keep reading,

Tiffany