Saturday 5 February 2011

Brome Lake Books




sunny, beautiful day - awaiting the next dumping (of snow) temps minus 7

Lovely day, while it lasts. To the left is a photo we took last week after having breakfast in Knowlton. Such a beautiful village.

I'm sitting here eating homemade madeleines and sipping cafe au lait, having just read your thoughtful comments from yesterday's blog on Fenn. Loved them all. And I think we feel much the same way. Don't want to stop progress - but desperately want the printed book to remain. Our experience was similar to some of yours...we have a nook, and my husband in particular loved it - used it all the time. We're taking it on vacation. But after a few months he's mostly back to books.

I just hope enough publishers and bookstores can hold on until everything finds an even keel again. So that ebooks have a place, are a handy and wonderful tool. But I don't want to confuse a colleague with a husband.

And to the Fenn woman (and wonderful aunt) who lost her job last week - many, many thoughts go out to you and your family. What you said in your comment was personal and powerful - and not at all angry or bitter. Just sad. Am hoping you find a job you love soon.

And, speaking of wonderful independent publishers and booksellers, I wanted to really introduce you to Danny and Lucy. They run the bookstore in Knowlton - Brome Lake Books. Many of you have bought signed books from them, as well as bookplates and the famous Vive Gamache mugs. Their store is on the edge of Mill Pond - and is everything a bookstore should be, as you can see. And you couldn't find finer people than Danny and Lucy. And their three young sons. And their golden, Jessie (who happens to be Trudy's mother!)

I wanted you to be able to put faces to the names, since I mention them quite often, and many of you have spoken to them. If you'd like to get in touch with danny and lucy, you can email them at: blb@b2b2c.ca

the other two photos above are of Danny, with Michael and Jessie. And then Danny, Lucy and Jessie. In their store, of course.

In my opinion, they're heroes - as are all people who work with books - and press them into young hands. And old hands. And my hands. Sometimes heroes need help too.

To digress, the scrumptous madeleines I'm devouring were made by Dom. he and mike have come to the guest cottage for the weekend. They arrived yesterday, knocked on our door, and handed us a 'Dom's Dozen' of the warm sponge cookies (made with lemon and orange). A Don's Dozen, Mike explained, is 11. Someone ate one.

My God, are they good! Michael couldn't resist and fell on them as soon as the guys had returned to the cottage.

We're heading over there for dinner tonight. We visited Mike and Dom in London - when Mike was working with the Guardian - but now they're back and we have so much to get caught up on. Dom's cooking!

Might blog tomorrow from Burlington, VT. We're heading there tomorrow because our flight to NYC then on to Saint Lucia is 6am Monday. So we'll get to Burlington, have lunch, watch the Super Bowl. Drag ourselves out of bed at 4am...and be swimming in the caribbean mid afternoon. (actually, more likely snoozing - but at least it'll be warm).

Pat and Tony and their puppies are coming by tomorrow morning, to help us shove luggage into the beetle, then they'll stay here to house-sit - and shovel snow!

Oh, wow - Dom and Mike just dropped by with another batch of fresh madeleines. We might never leave. Might not fit through the door!

But hope you packed your sun screen - we're off to Saint Lucia!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Louise. Enjoy your well-deserved Caribbean holiday. From what you have mentioned, it looks like your flights via New York will be on JetBlue. Their Airbus 320 has a redesigned interior with lots of legroom (34 to 38 inches). Safe travels!

VT

Diane said...

Have a wonderful vacation and thanks so much for the pics. It was great to see Danny and Lucy in person as I have talked to them on the phone. And I love the shot of their store, so inviting.

Travel safe.

Roberta Walker said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roberta Walker said...

Deleted comment above for atrocious spelling :)

I've yet to visit Brome Lake Books (shame on me) but I do hope the little bookshop in Lennoxville (Black Cat Books) hangs on. Next time I'm in Knowlton, I'll visit BLB!

Rebecca said...

How nice is this?

From http://typem4murder.blogspot.com/ (Sat 5 Feb, Donis Casey)"One of the best author events I ever attended was a year or so ago when Louise Penny appeared at our local library. She won us over from the first moment she walked in by shaking the hand of and personally introducing herself to everyone who had come out to see her. Her talk was intimate, personal, and joyful. I came away with the impression that this is a woman who is filled with love for her work and her life. Even if her books weren't as good as they are - and they are amazingly good - after seeing her in person I wanted to read everything she ever wrote at least twice."

Stuff to make your heart sing!

Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Louise Penny Author said...

Hi all, thank you for all the fun and supportive comments! Rebecca, wow, what a wonderful post you found. Thank you for putting it up! And VT, yes, the jetblue airbus was amazing! I'd live on it, if they'd allow it. And Roberts, I'm with you - the Black Cat is a terrific independent bookstore, run by passionate people.

Hope you enjoy the holiday in Saint Lucia! Wear spandex.

miaedie said...

Hello Louise,

It's always sad to see an independent bookstore go under...they are true treasures. I own a Kindle, and actually read Bury Your Dead on it because I was not willing to wait until it came out in the U.S.! Having said that, I will never stop buying books..they fill my home.

Enjoy your stay in St. Lucia...and come back inspired!
:-)