Ode to My Local Borders

I'm so sad today. My favorite Borders in Bolingbrook, IL, is one of the 200 Borders that are closing. I wrote my very first book in the cafe in this Borders. This was when I had no idea I'd ever be a published author and was just giving writing a try. A lot of people don't like the big bookstores and try to only shop or appear at independent bookstores but this particular Borders has always been so good to me, even when my local independent bookstore wouldn't even take my calls because I wasn't a big enough name. For starters, the general manager of the Bolingbrook Borders, Lynn Nulicek, herself came to my launch party for The Espressologist (held at a coffee shop) and hand sold the books. Lynn is completely amazing!

And Lynn and Borders welcomed me and my friends from The Debs for a holiday event in 2009. (That's Cynthea Liu, Lara Zielin, Aprilynne Pike, me, Darcy Vance, and Saundra Mitchell).

Kristin Walker, Kimberly Pauley, and I had a super fun Valentine's Day event there as well in 2010.

Kristin and I were regulars at the Bolingbrook Borders, doing the Teacher Appreciation Days and Reader Meet Author events. And they always spoiled us with samples from the cafe.

This past fall I had my launch party for My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours at Borders as well.

I've had so many happy memories at this store. I'm just so sad to think there will be no more events for me at my favorite Borders. I'll keep doing events at other stores and libraries but this Borders is like home. :-(