Hmmm.
What would Jane Austen do?
Not sit around moping and waiting for things to happen, that’s for sure.
With a lion-sized yawn, I finish taping another box of reverse harem fantasy books, then add it to the corner where the finished boxes are.
I’m overdue for a coffee break.
It’s nearly ten a.m. and I’ve been at this since seven.
Mom should be here soon.
That’s one huge silver lining since the ugly breakup. After seeing me hurt, Mom is acting like everything a momshouldbe.
No more digs about my weight.
No more pushing swamp juice.
She keeps sharing fresh ideas for the bookstore, articles about mad successes across the world and cute little Pinterest boards with décor ideas.
Some of her ideasareout there, because hey, it’s Mom.
Her latest brainworm is having a yoga section in the back room, surrounded by books about wellness and meditation.
Of course, she included a mile-long list of titles by yoga gurus and fitness freaks to stockpile.
Not quite the direction I’m aiming for, but I appreciate her enthusiasm.
My vision feels more universal, and if I’m lucky, it’ll pay off too.
It’s going to be a shrine to popular genres, especially the ones loved by my fellow ladies, the biggest readers of them all.
Romance, thrillers, historical fiction, fantasy.
I want to promote the hell out of successful women authors, too.
There’ll be a shelf for local writers, a Booktok/Bookstagram section, and eventually, an outreach program for young adult readers.
I want my book shrine to jive with Portland seamlessly, locals and happy tourists alike.
In time, I want my store to make a difference. To matter to folks who want a human face and a fun conversation with a fellow reader whenever they come searching for their next true love between the covers.
If I can help get folks genuinely excited about reading again, the money will come.
I just know it.
No more barriers.
No more staged influencers who only promote the popular books for views.
No more detached online orders where an AI algorithm shoves your next book in your face.
I want to deliver nostalgia. The full experience of roaming the shelves and feeling the print in your hands.
I want customers drowning in the smell of books, new and old, and have them free to flop down in cozy chairs and let the books hook them right in the store.
If I can achieve that—if I can spark a few miracles—it’ll all be worth it.
