Have you been to That Bookstore in Blytheville (TBIB) lately?
In 1976, Mary Gay Shipley opened That Bookstore on Main Street in Blytheville, Arkansas, as a place to swap one stack of used paperbacks for another stack of ‘un-read’ paperbacks. Only a little hole in the wall, Mary Gay nurtured and grew her bookstore, which eventually attracted New York Times best-selling authors to her little spot along the Arkansas Delta Byways.
When she announced her retirement, I worried. I don’t like change, especially when books are involved.
I am happy to report I still love it. The new owner of TBIB, Grant Hill, is book knowledgeable and friendly. He humored me as I ‘practiced’ being on book tour.
See? Here I am pretending to be at my very first book signing. The picture is blurry because I’m too excited to be still.
My friend Harold says I’m the only person he’s ever heard of who promotes a book yet to be published. So? I’m just extreme vision boarding…
TBIB dedicates rows of shelving to regional books by local authors. There are many. I stared at the books lining this section and pictured copies of my book stacked right beside Reflections from the Black Lagoon by Julie Adams. (Julie, from Blytheville, was the Creature’s bathing beauty…)
 |
| Grace Grits candle posing at TBIB in front of Julie Adam’s Creature book…:) |
If you live or travel anywhere in Northeast Arkansas or the bootheel of Missouri, be sure to stop by TBIB and buy a few great books (or a whole stack like my mother and I did). And be sure to follow TBIB on Facebook and Twitter. Wherever you live, go out today and support your local independent bookstore.
Now, I need to find a publisher…
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
I can’t wait for your books to be published. I have read Talya’s first book; it is wonderful. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every page of it. (AND, I am not biased.) So proud.
of course you aren’t:)
Great post Talya! I love those places like that. One of my favorites called “The Book Worm” in Grove, Oklahoma was like that until the owner retired and then it did close. I don’t think you need all that practicing…hurry up and publish that book so I can come see you on your tour!
Girl don’t I wish!
So I’m wondering- do you constantly travel? I haven’t ever stopped by TBIB but I think I might have driven by 🙂
haha quite a bit now that I’m ‘retired’. TBIB is only a few miles from where I grew up in Northeast Arkansas. I actually took these pictures last time I was home on the farm:)