Back Home and Resolved--to Celebrate!

Yes, we’ve been back home for a week already, and although it’s pouring down rain this morning in Leelanau I decided to post a sunny image of Roaring Brook where it comes out to meet Lake Michigan, this photograph taken last—was it Wednesday? Thursday? The blur of summer is past, but time doesn’t seem to have slowed down much yet, what with fall plans and catching up after September vacation.

I’ve also decided (making up my mind right and left today!) to make October 7 a dual celebration at Dog Ears Books. First, as has already been announced on this site more than once, we will be proudly hosting Jerry Dennis and celebrating the Leelanau launch of his long-awaited new book, The Windward Shore: A Winter on the Great Lakes. That alone has had me in a state of high anticipatory excitement for weeks and weeks.

But then I got to thinking about having been in the book business for 18 years as of this past July and how summer is always too busy a time to think about the bookstore birthday, and that got me thinking about the iconic (yes) Horizon Books in Traverse City recently celebrating 50 years in business (BIG congratulations, you guys!!!) and what an achievement that is, and that led to the question of bookselling in the future. The future? For any of us? Who knows?

So I thought, why wait to hit the 20-year mark? Why not celebrate, three months after the fact, what I’ve already achieved, 18 successful years of bookselling? “Have dessert first,” as the saying goes. I’m sure Jerry Dennis won’t mind. Life is short. Let’s get at the celebrating! What do you say?

But I need to be clear about the dual-purpose event: Jerry Dennis is the headliner, the birthday only an extra excuse to have (and eat) our cake, so please do not bring presents! Only your presence and appreciation are required. Nzaturally, purchases will be much appreciated on our part, too, as always: they are what allow us to be here and bring writers like Jerry Dennis to Northport.

Finally, in closing today, I’ll leave you with otter tracks on the beach in front of the house of one of my friends. Otters and Roaring Brook belong together. Maybe I’ll tell you a story about the otters of Roaring Brook, back in the old days, some other time. Which would you prefer--the otter story or Part II of a diatribe contra Nietzsche?