A lot has happened since our Sunday post, and a lot hasn’t, with so many events cancelled, including our Third Thursday, and so many businesses closed or limiting hours. While challenges remain, we’re so proud of the Summerville community and everything you’ve done to contribute to keeping our town safe. All around us we see random acts of kindness, not the least of which are folks carefully but happily stopping by local restaurants for food-to-go, or stopping into your favorite local bookstore to pick out a book for a child or a friend. Daily reminders that we live in the greatest town with the greatest readers, and we’ll all get through this together.
Great Job! Online and Home Orders
Well done to those of you who have chosen to shelter in pages and instead order your books from us online, or phone in your order for delivery or pickup. If you haven’t taken advantage of these services yet, you can CLICK HERE for instructions.
If you’re not sure yet what you want to read, call us at 843-875-5171 for a recommendation, visit our STAFF PICKS HERE or visit our BOOKSHOP PAGE for more lists and recommendation. We’ve got your backs, and your books!
New Rules for Book Events
We’ll still be having the occasional book event, including Marie Crow tomorrow (Saturday) but we’ll have a few new rules:
- If you don’t feel up to attending, don’t! Call us and we’ll set aside a book for you and have Marie personalize it any way you wish – we can deliver to your home or arrange curbside pickup.
- For those attending, we’ll ask you not to crowd the store. We’ll place extra chairs outside and won’t permit more than eight people in the store at any one time to achieve the “under 10” gathering rules recommended by our state leaders.
- We ask those who visit to use provided hand sanitizers to keep each other safe.
Writers Group by Phone
Because we tend to get MORE than 10 attending our writers group, this Monday (March 23rd), we’ll be conducting our Main Street Writes by conference call. We entertained using Zoom (and may do for book clubs), but a simple conference call will allow anyone to attend in case of spotty internet service or computer challenges (we know the kids have commandeered all your computers anyway!)
Soooo, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, we ask that you to call 605-313-5164. When prompted for an access code, use 892009#. If you wish to send words ahead for the group to be able to refer to, send to mainstreetreads@gmail.com and we’ll send them to everyone’s email address at the outset of the call. This will allow anyone who wants to attend the flexibility to do so and not miss a meeting while you’re all working on your writing goals!
A Poetic Gift From A.F. Winter
During last Saturday’s poetry reading, we had the opportunity to hear a wonderful poem by local poet and author, A.F. Winter, and we asked his permission to reprint it here for your enjoyment. (He said, “absolutely not” but we’re doing it anyway.) Just kidding – he graciously sent the poem for us to share with you!
Woman in a Bookstore
By A.F. Winter
There is nothing as alluring as a woman in a book store,
Casually strolling through the aisles.
Looking for a story, to be swept away.
She is looking for something more.
Someone just has to step in.
The way she touches the books as she passes.
Her fingers rising and falling in a playful, teasing manner.
The way she decides on a volume to pick off the shelf.
Her eyes widening as a wave of recognition flows over her.
Is this the one she has been looking for?
The way she looks at the front cover and then thoughtfully turns it over,
Something has sparked her interest.
She puts down her coffee cup and opens the book.
She smiles at the few words she has read.
Contemplating possessing it, contemplating a commitment.
This is a woman who has opinions.
This is a woman who thirsts for more.
This is a woman who you can talk to and laugh with.
Reading a book is not instant gratification.
Its joy comes from taking the time to listen and absorb another reality.
It comes from being open to more than the mundane.
She will have a relationship with something other than a blip on the screen
And she will be faithful, until the story is finished.
A natural ending to a sensuous relationship.
She has wept, she has laughed.
She has given her all.
And then she has moved on.
If the writer is good, she will be back because she craves his words.
If the writer is not up to her hidden passions,
She will put it down without another thought.
Her time is too precious to waste on mediocrity.
Yes, I love a woman in a bookstore.
Preferably an indie bookstore with dust on the shelves.
There are no coffee shops in this special place.
Only books and secluded crannies
Where love can begin
In the pages of an old book.
Sunday Closing for Brief Remodeling
We’ll be closed this Sunday to work on some minor rearranging. (In other words, we’ll be making a mess moving a few shelves around!) If you need something that day, call ahead and we’ll open the door for quick pickups.
Craving Contact?
Going nuts? Social distancing doesn’t have to mean not communicating. so we encourage you to stay connected! Please feel free to share your thoughts below, or drop us an email to share a poem, story, critique of a book we should be recommending, or just shout in all caps to vent the frustration we know we’re all feeling sometimes!
We’re all in this together, even when we can’t be together, so keep calm and read on!