The last time The Story Cellar was opened, two wonderful woman came in to donate books. Last Sunday, I loaded boxes and bags into my car, brought my mother along to help carry, and we drove out to a small village where another wonderful woman was donating all the English books that her and husband had cherished, but now no longer had room for. Since then, I have spent mornings and evenings cataloguing and pricing, discovering new authors, getting re-acquainted with old ones, and learning something important.
I enjoy getting books I need to price cheaply. Somewhere in a business district I am sure capitalist is raising its head and hissing at that remark, but it’s true.
It’s not because cheap books should be easier to sell, but because the ones I price cheaply are the ones who have obviously been read multiple times. And when I can see on the spine that a book has been read over and over again, it makes me happy for the book, the author and the reader.
I wonder how many times it has been read, and where. When I see even more books by the same author, I know that the author found a fan, and I know they would be happy to see that. When a new reader comes along and selects one of their books, perhaps they will come back for more and another fan will be born.
And, sitting here every morning and evening discovering all these books gave me an idea. Or maybe it’s all the Christmas films I’m watching. One of the things I loved most about the dark December mornings as a child was coming into the kitchen, seeing the lit advent candle, and choosing a small present off the advent calendar my grandmother embroidered for my mother.
On our way to pick up the books on Sunday we got derailed by a Christmas market. My eye was caught by a decoration made of books and lights, and of course I couldn’t resist.
The Story Cellar might not be open every day in December, but every day in December I will do a little ‘Find Your Favourite New Author’ advent calendar, focusing on those authors I have multiple books by.
Maybe I can use my lovely new Christmas decoration as a backdrop?
Watch this space!
The Story Cellar 