This week’s song: Beige by Yoke Lore
Do you know that feeling of getting your life together after it’s been rocky? I’m experiencing that this week and I gotta say, I’m a fan. Taking a step back has allowed me to look at all the exciting things that’ve happened and I realized there was one thing I didn’t hype up nearly as much as I myself was hyped.
A while back, almost two months ago, a lovely lady by the Bookstagram handle of @shesaysgetbooked visited the coolest ever bookstore, named Rivendell Books and Baubles. As she was browsing, she came across something I then got tagged in. Then she video-called my lovely friend, Gabby, to show her…
‘I Accidentally Summoned a Demon’ was in a bookstore. A real, brick and mortar bookstore in Broken Arrow, OK. How? No fucking clue, but holy shit. My book is in a bookstore. An actual bookstore.
Becoming a published author with my novel in a bookstore has been my dream since I was ten years old. Ten was when I started writing novels instead of small stories, after reading ‘Lord of the Rings’ for the first time. Ten was when I envisioned one day, I’d walk into a store and be able to say that was my book on the shelf.
That day was June 9th. When I saw the post and got messages from Gabby (@bookhookerproductions), I freaked out. I cried. I sent screenshots to everyone I could and it just so happened, my sister and niece were coming over that very night to binge XO Kitty.
Upon their arrival, we all squealed and cried, then looked at the pictures taken by shesaysgetbooked about a million times. It was at this point when the shock was slowly wearing off and this is the conversation that happened:
Me: I seriously want to drive over there to see it. I know it’s silly but I really want to. It’s a 9.5 hour drive but so worth it.
Sis: It’s not silly. I’d want to!
Niece: We SHOULD. Let’s just go. Let’s go right now and see it.
Sis: We can’t go right now, but… Do you wanna go next week? Girls trip. We’ll go just for a couple days to see your book.
Me: *crying* yes I wanna do that.
So that’s what we did. We drove over there on June 8th, went to the bookstore on June 9th and fulfilled the oldest dream I’ve ever had. Many tears were shed by me and my sister both. Luckily, the ladies working there were the absolute best people. I didn’t tell them it was my book, but I did get their attention because we spent over an hour wandering around and I couldn’t stop returning to the shelf holding my book. They asked if I needed help more than once (amazing staff, by the way), but me being my awkward self just stumbled through questions like ‘how do you decide what books you put on the shelf?’ They were so patient and helpful, they were as awesome as the store itself.
I consider it kismet that my first ever published book is in a bookstore with a title inspired from the very book that got me started writing. Rivendell is from Lord of the Rings, and just hearing the name, I knew it had to be special. I didn’t know how special until I walked in. I kid you not, this is the most incredible bookstore I’ve ever been in. Not because my book is in it, but because it was so fucking cool. The signs were clever and cute, the decorations were on point with animals mounted on the wall wearing reading glasses and tables made to look like stacked books in front of a cozy fireplace. Not only that, but the merch was incredible with eggplant and peach earrings, endless adorable stickers like the one I got that read “Warning: Reading could seriously damage your ignorance”, and one I got for my man saying, “Fuck the system”.
If you’re not sold on how amazing this bookstore is yet, also know they have a free-roaming bearded dragon that has a little nest with toys but also just chills and wanders around the store all day.
Best. Bookstore. Ever. Hands down.
Yes, my sister and I did spend way too much money there but it was worth every penny. My sister justified it to her husband when he called and asked why she spent over $100 at the bookstore. Her response? “I’m supporting the business supporting my sister.” Facts. That’s what I was doing too. I definitely didn’t spend more than her *cough*.
So yeah, that takes top three unforgettable moments of my life. I’m so humbled, honored, and a little flabbergasted. How the hell did my book end up on a shelf in a real bookstore? I don’t know. There are thousands of indie books out there so I don’t know how it ended up there, but I’m incredibly thankful and ecstatic. See below.
