Not because of the pandemic, either. Yes, I masked up. I used to just browse for what looks fun to read, and I still do that. The difference surprised me once I got in the store.
On my last visit to a book store I realized how much I’ve drifted away from the simpler joy of browsing. When I got inside, I zeroed in on the Fantasy section, which is normal enough for me. No stops at the Science Fiction section, or casual browsing till I got there, which is different.
Once I reached the Fantasy area my author instincts took over. I was on a mission for comparative titles to Fantastic America. Fun took a back seat. Eye catching titles got my attention not for how they looked, but for the design elements that might fit my books. The writer’s life, amirite?
The joy wasn’t drained from my visit, but I did have to start over once I’d looked through the whole section. Only after the business part of my brain was satisfied could I relax and just enjoy being in the aisles. I live in a smaller town, so a drive to find books is still something I look forward to. Even if my brain hijacks the opportunity for a while.
What did I buy during my visit? I picked up a comparative title, Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. I couldn’t really get into the Syfy series, but there are enough similarities to what I write, that I had to give it another chance. Books are always better, right? I also bought a few new boxes of Cards Against Humanity. It’s a terrible game that I absolutely love to play!
You see, there is still plenty of joy to be found in bookstores.