Saturday 3rd January, 2026

In Which the Shop Hosts Excellent Company

Saturday arrived with a sense of purpose, as though the shop had checked the calendar and decided to be on her best behaviour.

We had some truly wonderful bookish visits throughout the day. Em (aka E.K. Earle) came in with her illustrator to drop off the second book in her series, Secrets and Summonings. We spent a long, easy stretch talking about indie publishing, writing processes, and all the strange, invisible work that happens behind the scenes of a finished book. The kind of work that never quite shows, but is always felt.

The shop listened carefully.
She always does when authors talk.

Later on, Barb Rosie stopped by to drop off her new book, The Brazen Dragon, and the conversation wandered comfortably through golf, cover design, and all things bookish. Both authors are planning to return in winter for launches and signings, which the shop immediately filed away under Things to Look Forward To.

At one point, a father and son came in to browse, and the son - the very cool and multi-talented Zale - settled onto the couch and picked up the shop guitar. Hummingbird, as she is known, was played beautifully, filling the space with gentle music that felt as though it had always belonged there.

The shop went very quiet. Listening quiet.

Even after the music faded, the magic remained in the air.

It feels like exactly where we are meant to be.