Connie Brooks, unlike some of us, is quiet and shy, and not used to talking about herself or her achievements. She is in some ways the pro-typical book lover who opens a book store and really wants nothing more than to buy and sell good books. She has no desire to sell herself and almost never even speaks of herself. I empathize. Writers used to do nothing more than write books and come out of caves to talk about them once or twice a year. I was one of them. We have all been pulled out of our caves and hiding places.

Connie has pulled off one of the most successful experiments in publishing this Christmas season, her best ever. In the face of so many challenges to independent bookstores, she has made some loud and impressive noises for the viability of the human, flesh-and-bones, brick-and-mortar store. We lost count of my books at 1,000 and people are still ordering.  I have been gently encouraging her – okay, not so gently – to write about herself and her bookstore on her blog, one of the “Blogs I Love.” I know this is not easy for her, but I also know it will get easier. Connie is set up to sell books anywhere, all year and not just Christmas. And I am only one of the authors she is signing up who will personalize their books all year so that she can ship them anywhere in the world and keep a terrific independent bookstore alive and prosperous. Connie does not whine about Amazon and e-books. She doesn’t whine at all. She just sells good books and matches them up with good book lovers. This is not an idea whose time has come and gone. As she showed in 2011, this is a red-hot idea in corporate weary America. Buy local. Every day. Good for you, Connie. You did it. And she thanks the wonderful followers of this blog.

This year,  Connie will share the story of one remarkable store and its stunning comeback on her blog all year. It is not really a business story. It is a very personal story, about a love affair between an amazing woman and a bookstore. A story of devotion, courage and commitment.  She has a poignant message for you in her first post. If you see Connie and her mother Marilyn working together, you know she comes from a close family. For the first time, I learn about her late father. His spirit clearly hovers over Battenkill. Come and see.