Answers to Time-Honored Journalistic Questions

This was the notice on the bookstore door, reminding people that our kick-off 20th anniversary year event was being held at Brew North coffee house. So that answers the Who? and Where? questions, I hope. The When? was yesterday, Thursday afternoon, April 18.

It was great! The whole high school came!

How? Loreen Niewenhuis is a terrific presenter -- personable, engaging, down-to-earth, and often funny. The students and others in the audience clearly appreciated both her sense of adventure and the scientific research she does before and during her long lakeshore walks. Loreen alternated reading from her book (she has a lovely reading voice, soft yet perfectly audible and well articulated) and taking questions from the audience. The variety gave a comfortable informality to a very professional presentation.

I've said Loreen is engaging. The students were engaged. They were attentive. They asked excellent questions. I was so happy to connect local students -- at last -- with one of the many top-notch visiting authors who have come to Dog Ears Books over the years. I hope this will be only the first of many such engagements. Why? Does anyone need to ask why? I hope not!

Following the presentation came the usual milling around, more informal chat with the author, a bit of bookselling, and gift Dog Ears Books pens for all in attendance -- except that we ran out of pens, so a couple students will have to pick theirs up at the bookstore. "No problem," they assured me. 

Loreen hung out at the bookstore afterwards until close to 5 o'clock, when we went next door for a bite at the Garage Bar & Grill, where David joined us, all of us well satisfied with our day. 

Many, many, many thanks to English teacher Jenny Walter for helping to put this event together, and many, many, many thanks to Erik and Deirdre Owen for volunteering their space at Brew North, as well as to Dominic Iseli-Smith for helping set up ahead of time. This was a true community effort and success. 

And now it's time for me to turn my attention and energy to painting my new bookstore wall.