Susan N (Tenacious, contentious, parsimonious)

Life Story: Raised in a small rural community in Western Pennsylvania during an era when reading was more important than 3 square meals, according to my reading mother…dubious cook but one hell of a reader. Worked 10 years for 2 big NY commercial publishers; bought this store from a retired school teacher; hired a great staff and thank God everyday I'm still in business as an independent bookseller.

What types of books do you enjoy reading, or what makes you love a book?
Well-written Fiction that has a rich historical component. Mysteries that are tough, sarcastic and funny. Narrative Non-Fiction that “reads like a novel.” Short Stories and Essays that say the things I am thinking or feeling but can't produce myself because I am a reader and not a writer. One can be a good reader but possibly not a good writer. And I have met many good-to-great writers and they are all good-to-great readers. But by far, we have many more mediocre-to-poor writers who are mediocre-to-poor readers. To these writers I say, “Please stop writing and start reading. The future of the book depends on this."