A couple of adventurers venture to Lewes!

Dear Reader -  I got a call a year or so ago from a gentleman who's stopped into the shop and was smitten by it. He followed up to let me know this and to also let me know about his card line: The Adventures of Mirabelle.

The man was Michael Muller, former owner of Details gallery in Reho. A few Christmases back, Michael received a gift: Mirabelle. Mirabelle is a little Boston Terrier who has changed the course of Michael's life - utterly:

Six years later, Michael and Mirabelle's card line is all over the country and they have published three children's board books with Workman Publishing. The books came out this fall and Mirabelle has been touring ever since to do promotions and signings.

We're smitten with both Michael and Mirabelle. Michael is among the nicest of human beings you'd ever wanna meet, and Mirabelle is a canine who's ready for adventure - always. Our favorite Mirabelle cards are the ones that feature her in Lewes, like this one at the farmers market:

Or this one over at the Zwaanendael Museum:

Or this one where she "skitches" a ride on the Ferry:

Boston people, dog people, Lewes people, good-humored people - it doesn't matter, they all love Mirabelle. So it's no surprise that people have been loving her new board books, too:

They're adorable - perfect for the preschool and early reader sets. And what child wouldn't be charmed to have their book(s) signed by a dog?!

Mirabelle will be over in Reho on Saturday morning from 10:00 to Noon at Proud Bookstore, near Arena's. After some lunch and a nap, she'll be here in Lewes from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.:

So stop by and say hello, shake Mirabelle's paw, and consider a special gift for a child or Boston-lover in your life!

Cheers!  - Jen

P.S. I'm thinking that Mirabelle's the kind of girl who'd dig some funk, a la George Clinton and Parliament - "Why must I feel like that, must I chase the cat? Nothin' but the dog in me . . . ":

P.S.S. And don't forget that we're happy to have a book or two signed for you if you can't make it on Saturday!  - J

Children's Book Signings for the Holidays!

Dear Reader -  While the rest of us can all get more than a little swept up in the holiday spirit, the kids're the ones who really sit at the center of our Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations. There's really nothing like the joy that special traditions and, of course, gifts can evoke in the wee ones.

That's why we're so delighted here at biblion to host two children's book signings over the next two weekends.

This coming Saturday, December 1, Lewes author and illustrator Caryl Ekirch Williams will be at the shop from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. to sign her imaginative book The Words:

Caryl is a retired educator (who still teaches in her retirement at the Lifelong Learning Center here in town), and that's evident in her book. The Words encourages children to play and engage with language, getting them to think about the power that they hold in their own hands.

In the end, though, the illustrations are the stars of the book. Each word has its own personality, and they "speak up" as the story progresses. Caryl studied fine art at Skidmore, and it's clear that she's a gifted artist:

So come on down and say hi to her between home tour stops, after grabbing a bowl of yummy soup at St. Peter's, or before you line up for the parade!

Next Saturday, December 8, Mirabelle will be here in all her canine glory, along with her friend Michael (a.k.a. Mr. Muller of Details fame):

While biblion guests know Mirabelle from her adventuresome cards (including her exploits in Lewes), she's coming to sign her three new, darling board books, featuring adventures with Mr. Muller, a bouncy red ball, a butterfly, and a healthy walk:

They're starting the day over at Proud Bookstore in Rehoboth, and then they'll make their way to Lewes to be with us from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

I'll write a little more about them next week, but I wanted you to get a chance to put her on your agenda.

Can't wait to see you here!  - Jen

P.S. Jingle Bell dogs, of course:

Celebrate Veterans Day

Dear Reader -  We're marking Veterans Day this weekend with two book signings by local authors, and we hope that you'll stop by to support them.

We've carried Vincent dePaul Gisriel's book Hearts Away, Bombs Away for some time, but this'll be our first chance to have him in for a signing. We're thrilled, since every guest who finds his books walks away delighted - it's a real treasure:

After his father's death, Vince was inspired to learn more about his dad's experience in World War II. As part of his research, Vince poured through his parents' correspondence from those years. And while he learned a lot about what the war was like on the front lines as well as the home front, the real story that emerged was the love story between his mom and dad.

Vince will be here on Veterans Day, Sunday the 11th, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Terri Clifton's book A Random Soldier is likewise about war in real-life: a young Marine's experience of the Iraq War and how his family and friends lived it with him and then lived together through his death:

Terri comes by biblion from time to time, and she never fails to move our guests. She'll be here on Saturday the 10th from Noon to 2:00 p.m.

Whatever you're doing this weekend, please be sure to take a moment to honor our veterans in a way that feels meaningful to you.

Truly  - Jen

P.S. The Andrews Sisters, of course:

Steve Hayes is coming!

Dear Reader -  Our regular guest and neighbor, Steve Hayes, has written an engaging and compelling adventure story called Light on Dark Water, and he's coming to sign it here at biblion this Friday, August 31, from 6-8 p.m.

 

Our friend Henry Evans from the Cape Gazette recently interviewed Steve and wrote one of his wonderful stories. You can read it here.

Our advance readers loved the book, calling it engaging and very well written. The story pulls from Steve's own experiences as a seasoned sailor and a Vietnam War veteran. Adventure with a little thoughtfulness woven in - very nice.

As you may remember, Terri Clifton has an ongoing presence here at the shop, as her advocacy for veterans continues. In all of her conversations with vets, she's heard from many of those from Vietnam that they regretted that others have told their stories. Terri has taught me that anytime one steps forward to give us a glimpse into the heart of that war, it's our place to pay attention to what they have to say.

Plus, Steve's book is brief and accessibly priced, so if you haven't enjoyed one of our local authors up to this point, there's nothing to lose with trying this one!

Come on by on your way to or from dinner on Friday, have a little glass of something festive with us, and wish Steve well!

Cheers!  - Jen

P.S. Who among us couldn't help but be affected by the forces at play through the 60s . . .

Along the Delmarva Coast

Dear Reader -  You know how we often start sentences with phrases like "as many of you know"? Well, I started to do that, and then I thought - heck, other than Weather Channel junkies like me, who else is gonna know that we celebrated National Lighthouse Day this past week on August 7?

We have two beautiful ones here - the Delaware Breakwater East End and the Harbor Refuge Lighthouses, and of course there's our lovingly restored Lightship Overfalls docked in Lewes. Several of our regular visitors even remember the iconic Cape Henlopen Light, which collapsed due to erosion in the 20s.

This week's book signing calls them all to mind, and it's a charmer. Jean Abplanalp, a former resident here and a dear friend of our dear friend Hazel Brittingham, has written and illustrated a delightful book: Along the Delmarva Coast.

Jean has researched the histories of all of the lighthouses, lightships, and lifesaving stations from Delaware down to Virginia on the peninsula. Each history is accompanied by a charming watercolor of the subject (many of which Jean will bring with her for sale as well). Her publisher decided to put it out as in paperback, making it accessibly priced as a gift or personal keepsake. We've had the book in the shop now for a couple of months, and feedback has been very positive - particularly on how well the histories are researched.

Please join us on Saturday, August 11, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Sounds like it could be a drippy day, so what better way to spend a rainy Saturday (after you visit the Tomato Festival!) than to take one of the lighthouse tours, catch a yummy lunch in Lewes, and then visit biblion!?

Delighted  - Jenny

P.S. Here're a few lighthouse keepers (serenaded by Neptune's Car) to get you in that lighthouse state of mind:

Guess who's joining us for Friday evening cocktails?

Dear Reader -  I've been in a bit of a Miss C's-away-at-her-dad's-for-a-couple-weeks-and-I-miss-her-all-the-more-'cause-it's-much-too-close-to-when-she's-gonna-be-away-for-a-long-long-time funk.

Luckily, little biblion has been hoppin', so that has kept my fully occupied (my poor home is so neglected, though, that one of the dust bunnies in the living room actually grew to such maturity that it up and asked me when I was going to attend to it!).

But, there're just too many fun things going on over on Second Street. Tomorrow night, Friday, August 3, we're welcoming one of our most popular local authors, James Schneider, for a little book signing from 5-7:

Jamie's mystery, based in Lewes and Reho of the 60s, In the Shadow of Silver Lake, was a huge hit last summer:

We had several guests come back and comment on how much they enjoyed this fun, beach read of a book. And Jamie was surprised and delighted when he received notice in the mail of the unsolicited, independent publishing awards that it'd won (hence his title of "award winning" in the flier that he produced)!

This year he's done another suspense novel with some local flavor, legal intrigue, and romance tossed in the mix:

Come and join us for a little glass of something, meet Jamie, maybe hear about his charity, and have him personalize a copy of his book(s) for you! What a happy way to start a Friday evening!

Cheers!  - Jen

Signing and Sighing

Dear Reader -  Well, it's been a week - a whole darn week - since (Ann) Revere Reed's books signing, and we're still having fun watching folks find her book, On a Dime: Senseless in Lewes. I've been wanting to share some photos with you, but, of course, I forgot my own camera and phone last weekend, so I borrowed Grace's, who was minding the shop that night (I was just the resident Pourer-o'-Spanish-Cava for the evening - Grace did all the work).

The night started out quietly, with a fan who had to leave early showing up in time to get her books signed before the crowd started arriving:

She bought five copies, so it took awhile to get them all personalized. Then a few minutes before 7:00, a few more folks showed up to meet and greet the author:

I enjoyed seeing Ann connect with friends and family, as well as other locals who'd read about her work in the Gazette and Countian. By 7:15, we had a nice little crowd going:

And then by 7:30, all happy h__ broke loose, as Rehoboth and Lewes descended on Ann and little biblion. As one guest who stopped in on Saturday put it, "What was going on in here last night? We walked by, but it didn't look like one more person could fit in this shop!" It was a very gratifying and supportive reception for a local author, and we were so grateful to help facilitate.

Ann signed several more copies, which are available at the shop (Mike stopped by just today to get a copy for the Lewes Historical Society's archives - so cool).

Jamie Schneider, whose locally-set novel, In the Shadow of Silver Lake, was a huge hit last summer, has released his second book: The Highest Burden of the Law. He dropped off several copies this week, and he's planning a signing here for early August (which, as it turns out, is dependent on Miss C's schedule - we'll confirm the date/time later).

And we have two other local-author signings on the back burner, awaiting final scheduling info from their publishers.

Sigh. While I love, love, love everything about used books, I am beyond thrilled to be able to have books by local authors be our only new titles offered here - it just seems to fit with the spirit of this little town and our little shop. This instinct received the warmest of confirmations last Friday, as I watched folks who'd grown up here with Ann and her family stop by to support her. Thank you, dear Reader, for joining us in supporting these authors, too.

Contentedly  - Jen

Save the Date: Revere Reed Book Release/Signing

Dear Reader -  On Friday, July 6 from 7-9 p.m., Ann Revere Reed, a biblion regular who grew up in Reho and now lives in Lewes, will be at the shop for the release of her first novel, On a Dime: Senseless in Lewes.

biblion's resident "local author reader," Ellen Hollingsworth, loved this book. I gave it to her one afternoon to review (a member of the biblion family reads every book we're asked to carry), and she brought it back the next day, exclaiming that she couldn't put it down. "It was a real page-turner!" she said.

Like Ann, Ellen has lived here forever, and she characterized the book's local settings as "spot-on." I was thrilled to hear that - love it when we can carry a book in which locals and visitors alike can enjoy reading about places that they recognize.

Keep your eyes out for a great story about the book in the Cape Gazette, and please plan to drop by and show her your support (it takes a lot of guts - and work! - to put yourself out there creatively!).

And if you see her around town, tell Ann congrats and that you'll see her on the 6th!

Sensibly  - Jen

P.S. And while you've got your calendar out, be sure to save the afternoon of September 15 for Taste the Fruit of the Vine from 3-6. This year Chanell and Chris Dagesse, who own Lewes Auto Mall, have kindly agreed to host the garden party/wine tasting/home tour benefit for the Sussex County Community Outreach Program.

Their Lewes home has been completely (I mean completely, from head to toe) renovated, and it's just stunning - their level of thoughtfulness in design and attention to detail is really impressive, with every corner of the home reflective of them (plus they're super sweet people, so that makes it even cooler). So plan to come and enjoy the party - taking a tour, digging some live tunes, and enjoying fine vintages paired with select bites from The Buttery's talented chefs - all for an awesome cause! Just for fun, here're a couple of casual pics that I shot when I was trying to figure out where the best light was for their photo in the Gazette . . .

A worthy reason to get back up on that blogging pony, sister!

Dear Reader -  I've missed you. And I feel like my life's awash in a sea of biblion stories that're just aching for a place to funnel 'em.

But what's brought me here today is the 10th anniversary of the start of our War in Afghanistan, an action precipitated by the attacks less than a month before and followed up a couple years later with the Iraq War.

Right about the time of the art show this summer I received an email from a local author named Terri Clifton:

Hello. My name is Terri Clifton and I am contacting you about the book A Random Soldier.
My son Chad was a 2003 graduate of Cape Henlopen High School. He joined the Marine Corps that summer and went to Iraq in 2004. Before he left he made me promise to tell his story if he didn't make it home. Chad was killed in action in February 2005.
I wrote and self published his book, but have only in the past year regained the energy it takes to attempt to bring the book forth. It is available at Browseabout but I stumbled across your store (while having dinner with my husband at Agave) and wondered if you would be at all interested. Both Chad and the book are easily googled.
Thank you for your time,
Terri

I totally remembered her son. biblion's Memorial Day commemoration included pictures and brief bios on all of the men and women from Delaware who'd been lost in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Chad's strikingly youthful face was hard to forget:

I also remembered how the young people at our church were devastated the day that we heard of his death.

Terri and I eventually connected after the fray of the art show, and I immediately began carrying her book (it's worth noting that Terri is not selling her book for profit - she's just looking to cover her self-publishing expenses - to that end, biblion isn't profiting from it either). As Terri'd mentioned, she hadn't yet put much energy into marketing the book, for understandable reasons, and I began noodling on how we could do more to get Chad's story out than simply having it out in the midst of our shop.

And then it hit me, the tenth anniversary of September 11th was coming up and, of course, the Afghan War started shortly after. Sure enough, I went to Google it and found that October 7 was the date. Given that the "drumbeat" of 9/11 anniversary coverage was already audible this summer, I expected that the media'd have a field day with the war. As such, I thought that a low-key reading by Terri would be a nice counter-point to all of the Sturm und Drang of the politicized coverage on the 24/7 news networks.

Boy, did I turn out to be wrong.

At first I thought that the fact that I wasn't hearing anything about the anniversary was because I'm watching/listening to the news so infrequently these days, caught up in the Sturm und Drang of the happy fray of my own little life. But then I started doing Google searches and found virtually no mention among the major news outlets. Thousands of lives lost, tens of thousands of lives shattered, and no words.

But enough of my dismay . . .

Terri agreed that doing a reading on that date seemed apropos, so we put it on the schedule:

Friday, October 7

6:00 p.m.

Reading

Saturday, October 8

10:00 a.m. to Noon

Meet and Greet with the Author

What I love about Terri's book is that it gives the reader a direct, unfiltered, and unapologetic perspective on one soldier's experience of war - and likewise some sense for what it was like for his family and friends. Since I didn't have any personal experience with war myself, having no friends or family who'd served, I found Chad's words and Terri's reflections truly enlightening and compelling. And from what I've seen at biblion, those who have served or been part of military families have had a different experience with the book, often finding it to be a bridge of understanding between the service members and their stateside families. I also love that there's absolutely no political agenda in it - no romantic war-related ideals, no anti-war drumbeats. It's just about a young soldier and the people whom he loved:

 

So it you have a pocket of time on Friday evening or Saturday morning, come on down and mark the day with us at biblion. We'd love to see you.  - Jen

P.S. I've had an issue with getting the word out about this earlier in the Cape Gazette (got the wrong deadline from a new guy, per Bernadette), so I'd appreciate anything you all can do to help folks know about this - I think that Terri's words could be a real help to many families as they live the realities of war.

P.S.S. I thought I'd find a way to work Chad's dad into my stream of consciousness-ness above, but the flow took another path. That being as it is, I still wanted to share Rich's incredible work with you - seeing that he has two such creative and extraordinary parents speaks to how much we've lost in losing Chad, too. Rich is a nationally-know wildlife painter:

You can see more of his work here at www.RichardCliftonWildlifeArt.com.

A Royal Hoopla Restrospective

Dear Reader -  Well, the Lewes Royal Wedding extravaganza turned out to be one of those quintessential small town events that makes this one awesome. People had a blast playing with us throughout the day and taking advantage of the many ways to be a part of the festivities.

People paraded through the shop in their best hats and tiaras throughout the day, and the streets outside were filled with the charming "clip-clop" sound of the carriage-pulling ponies:

A whole passel of folks showed up for Lewes' own "royal wedding," officiated by our Mayor Jim Ford and organized by the folks at P.U.P.S. One of the grooms (Peludo, who is a regular guest here at biblion) and his bride stopped by the shop on their way to the park for the festivities:

I was thrilled (thrilled! thrilled!) with our own little corner of the hoopla. Since we didn't know what we were doing 'till that very week, we weren't part of the day's program - as such, I confess that I was beginning to wonder if folks'd find us in the midst of it all.

But they did! Over 40 people (based on the number of Champagne flutes lining the bookshelves) joined us to toast the wedding and the wonderful Margaret Caufield with a glass of Cava, and then we all proceeded to be entranced by her charming and informative self.

Margaret brought a wide cross-section of her royal memorabilia collection, including commemorative china, postcards, jewelry, and teatowels (thank you to Teri for taking a few pictures!):

 

Henry Evans from the Cape Gazette remained under her spell for a spell afterward, getting an awesome interview that appears in the Cape Life section of this Friday's edition (I'll link to it once it's posted on the Gazette's website).

We also included our "Book of Best Wishes" for the happy couple, giving visitors a chance to sign and to add a note, sharing their own sentiments for William and Kate:

This festive couple even grabbed a photo of themselves in the midst with it to help remember the day:

These two awesome ladies, Jill and Elle, signed the book as soon as they came in, and then, after roaming the shop for a bit, one of them (I think it was Elle) remembered that the last time they'd signed such a book was about a decade ago when they were visiting a tea shop up in New Castle County where the owners had a book of condolence for Diana. Poignant:

Elle and Jill were among the several playful guests who also added their "Royal Wedding Guest" names to our list (I learned of the guest name device from my friend Derek - your name starts with Lord or Lady, with one of your grandparent's names for your first name, your first pet's name as your last, and then "of" the street where you grew up). Here are some of alter-egos from Miss C and me and our guests:
- Lady Lucy Midnight of Melody Court (Miss C)
- Lady Florence Spooky of Angelina (yours truly)
- Lord Brian Lindsay of Edgewater Estates
- Lady Mary Midnight of Saratoga
- Lady Concetta Thumper of Maplewood
- Dame (an outlier, here!) Ethel Pepper of Moylan
- Lady Ethel Bayee of Sypherd
- Lord Frederick Duke of Tarlton
- Lady Cynthia Smith Jennett Snowy of Mickley
- Lord & Lady Moxie Van Pierce of Glendora
- Lady Lucy Ayers Buff of The Strand
- Lady Asha Parvati Beanie of Old Spring Lane
- Lord Nicholas Near Feldman of St. Peter's
- Lady Adelaide Beck Cuddles of Shawnee Road


It was fun. Truly  - Jenny

P.S. Had to include another wedding song - this time from a few of Miss C's and my favorite Brits:

Some Bits of Royal Whimsy & Hoopla

Dear Reader -  As you may remember from my In Search Of . . . post, we'd been on the lookout for somebody fun to speak at biblion, adding a few juicy historical bits to the royal wedding hoopla in Lewes this coming Friday (I, personally, dear Reader don't feel any deep connection to the royal wedding, but I'm all in when there's hoopla to be had - and throw in a dash of whimsy, and I'm over the moon). Despite the kind efforts of my friends and my own steady footwork, we were getting nowhere with finding a candidate. And while there was part of my little brain that had this sneaking suspicion  that it'd all work out in the end, I began working to find other ways for little biblion to contribute to the festivities:

 

I was leaning on the counter at the Rehoboth Beach post office on Tuesday, watching Miss C fill out her passport application with her dad (they're taking a trip to Venice this summer - how cool is that?), when my friend Peggy (who'd been the most dogged in trying to come up with a speaker for us) sent me this text: "Idea!! Royal wedding fun for biblion!"

My "do tell" reply got a call back, and Peggy proceeded to tell me her awesome idea of having a card for Lewes to sign at biblion that we can then send to Kate & William. How perfect was that? I made a couple of adjustments (made it a "Book of Best Wishes" to sign rather than a big card and am adding a small, hand-lettered card with best wishes from the people of Lewes with a lovely print of an original painting by Lewes artist Jean Doran). We put the book out late yesterday, and we'll keep it up 'till it's filled over the next few days.

But the story doesn't end there! A few hours later that same day, Peg texted again: "Gasp! A possible speaker for you. The mother of an acquaintance - look at today's News Journal local/leisure section. No kidding. The woman is going to be in Lewes for the great event." Sure enough, I went to the News Journal's website, and there she was, replete with video!

Turns out that Margaret's daughter Sarah is a friend of Peggy's from the lawyerly side of her life. The three of us connected on a conference call Wednesday morning to see if this could work with schedules, etc., and then I had a chance to chat with Margaret for a bit. She was lovely (. . . and fun . . .  and funny!), and we agreed that a wedding-toast-fueled, Noontime casual conversation in our little shop was just the ticket to round out her royal wedding visit to Lewes.

So come and join us, dear Reader, for a wee bit of Royal Whimsy in the midst of Lewes' Hoopla!

We're gathering at Noon on Friday for a wedding toast and a casual conversation with Margaret Caufield. Margaret was born in Nottinghamshire and moved to the United States in 1967. She has been a serious collector of royal memorabilia for 40-odd years and has a wealth of juicy bits and stories to share about the royals and their history. As you well know, biblion is tiny, so come early to be part of the fun!

And even if you can't make it for Margaret, be sure to sign the Book of Best Wishes, which we'll send as a gift from the people of Lewes to the happy couple!

Vive la Hoopla!  - Jen

P.S. And here's a reprise of King Floyd that's perfection for the occasion:

In Search Of . . .

Dear Reader -  As I told you in Steinbeck's birthday greeting, I loved me some television back in the day. And one of my favorite shows to catch when snuggled up in Dad's big brown chair was In Search Of . . . :

Who could help but love the way that Nimoy and the producers turned up the theatrical volume on the questions that they raised? Ah! The drama! I loved watching it with the lights turned low, amping the creep-factor as much as my wee imagination would allow. The titillation was always worth another 30 minutes of sittin' still, even when those Kansas skies were cornflower blue.

Well, dear Reader, I'm on an "in search of" adventure myself these days. And, frankly, it's turning out to be much more of mystery than I ever anticipated.

It all begins with the Brits. They're planning another wedding, and folks are thinkin' that it'll hold the same fairytale factor that this one did:

Now my little practical, Kansas-girl self has never really "gotten" the hoopla over weddings - and I find that not just my head but my hands and arms, as well, all start a vigorous shake of "no" whenever I think of the money folks pour into these affairs. But our little town of Lewes is planning to celebrate on the wedding day, with businesses offering British- and wedding-related specials and enticements. And, of course, we want to be part of the fun.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned to you, yet, that readings are definitely in the vision for little biblion. The space, though small, has an openness to it that lends itself to such an experience. And I've been visited by a few scholars and poets who've expressed an interest in just that.

So, of course, when I heard about this event, I immediately thought of offering a lecture (or two!) on royal unions - one that was replete, I hoped, with all sorts of juicy, fun bits to chew. And I set off to connect with some of my retired professor buddies to find a lively, former English history professor (or one serious amateur history buff) to pull a fun one together.

Dear Reader, I have failed. Each rabbit hole I go down leads to nothing, nothing at all - just one dead end after another. And I can't believe that this isn't possible - with all of the wonderful waves of retirees that've made there way here to the beach, there just has to be a gifted professor among them, right?!

So I, like Leonard and his producers, am taking to the airways, if digital, to seek my answer.

Dear Reader, can you help me? Do you know a really cool English history professor who might have fun playing with us? Or, better yet, are you one yourself?!

Seeking  - Jenny