Ok, so I know it’s my February pick, but the books are in NOW and I just can’t wait! So, with no further interruptions, here it is: The Girl with Glass Feet, by Ali Shaw.

As someone who never grew out of fairytales, books like Shaw’s debut novel are a true pleasure. Meet Midas Crook, photographer and recluse extraordinaire, and Ida Maclaird, who is slowly but surely turning into glass. In the remote landscape of St. Hauda’s Land — a place so realistically portrayed you’ll forget it doesn’t exist in real life — stranger things can (and do) happen.

I knew from the beginning that I would love the story, but I had no idea how much I’d come to love the characters. It’s an ensemble cast beautifully rendered, each with surprising dimensions and hidden quirks. I hate to use the much-repeated “I laughed, I cried,” but I really did (ok, I didn’t ACTUALLY cry, but I almost did, and I absolutely laughed out loud). Midas’s young and spunky friend Denver and the pompous and blustering Carl Maulsen, whose strange relationship with both Ida and Midas drives the story in new directions, are two of the stand-out minor characters that still bump around in my head.

I was caught by the simplicity of Shaw’s style, as well. The novel is descriptive, full of small details and gorgeous panoramas, but his prose never becomes flowery or ornate.

For anyone who loves to meet new characters, is open to the stranger and more delicate sides of life, or just loves a good yarn. Let me know what you think!

As those of you know who read my weekly newsletter, I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I make gentle “suggestions” to myself. That way I don’t feel like I’ve ever failed! It’s just a suggestion…nice and easy.

So I’m going to suggest that I write a blog at least once a month and I’m really going to try and stick to it! Here it goes…

2009 brought extraordinary clarity to my life. I settled into a sort of new way of being. My Ayurvedic routines, cooking, clearing out and getting used to my weight loss all offered me great satisfaction.  A period of calmness and space. I didn’t know what would fill up the space, but I cleared out and got used to it. Sort of a wait and see but be happy here and now kind of thing.

The recession had me look at the shop in a new way. After five years in business that was a good thing. I hired an extraordinary manager, Jenn Northington, to help me put into action all sorts of new ideas (and to offer new ideas!), and I took a good, hard look at what people want and how I can best serve the community.

It took quite a bit for me to hand over the keys, so to speak. Like giving up the baby to a nanny. But by letting go I opened up so many new pathways. It’s the loosening of the grip. Once the fist is open, so many new things can fall into your hands and that’s exactly what happened.

So that’s what’s happening now. New ideas are flowing and you will soon see a new and improved breathe books! We are more carefully curating the books we buy in order to bring you the very best. We will be delving more deeply into the subjects that you love to read – books on alternative health and healing modalities, yoga, meditation, Buddhism, nutrition and Ayurveda. We are also adding carefully chosen fiction and poetry books – books we love and can’t wait to share with you!

You will also notice more gifts items in the shop as well as more tools to help you with your practices. You’ll find more yoga-related items, Ayurvedic remedies, natural and organic body-care products, essential oils, Flower therapies and more. We’ll also have more seating (!) and coffee and tea! Oh – and wi-fi as well.

We are so excited to introduce these changes and improvements to breathe books. I look forward to hearing your feedback and would love to hear what you want to see out of your bookstore.

Come by to visit soon!

much love,

susan