Last night I went to our public library without my kids. (Gasp!) The public library (in any town) has always been my “happy place.” I love the smell, the quiet, the possibilities. I love to run my hand down the spines of all the books, knowing that I could never possibly read them all. It is simply mind-boggling to me that I can take out any of those books for free! Yes, I know, I know… taxes, etc. But when I’m walking down long rows of loaded shelves which tower above my head and stretch far in front of me – I am worse than a kid in a candy store. Because in this candy store, I can have whatever my heart desires, and I don’t have to pay a cent (unless I forget to bring it back). Such joy. Such a privelege.
Last night I was not there to check out books – I came for an author’s talk. Karen Spears Zacharias talked about her new book, Will Jesus Buy Me a Double-Wide: ‘Cause I Need More Room for My Plasma TV. She held the small crowd enraptured, drawing out belly laughs one moment and tears the next.
I didn’t have much time to peruse the stacks, but I did stop at the NEW book shelf. I found a handful of new Christian titles: Rachel’s Garden by Marta Perry (3/2010), Where Grace Abides by B. J. Hoff (10/2009), Luke’s Story by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (2/2010). I also spotted one of my Friday Book Picks (read the post here) Powers by John B. Olson (12/2009). There are two more books that I desperately want to read, so I got on Amazon.com as soon as I got home to order Shawn Grady’s brand new release, Tomorrow We Die (See my Friday Book Pick of his debut novel, Through the Fire). And, after spotting Annalisa Daughety on Twitter and discovering that she is also a former national park ranger turned Christian novelist, I had to order her park ranger romance, Love is a Battlefield.
So, I should be busy for awhile!
Have you been to your public library recently? Check it out (pun intended). There are sure to be some sweet treats waiting there for you.