A Brief Summary of the Last 7 Weeks

It's with no little amount of embarrassment that I begin writing this latest post. Despite all my good intentions (blog at least three times a week, etc.), it's been almost two months since I've updated this blog, and longer than that since I've given you a real sense of where I am in this bookstore project. So, here goes:

LIFE EVENTS

1. As some of you know, my husband and I moved. In the period of a month, we sold one house, bought a new one, and, thanks in large part to the sweat labor of family and friends, relocated. We're farther south now, which improves the commute to Laredo by almost an hour--which will come in handy in the coming months.

2. I wrapped up my second year in my MFA program, leaving only one to go. With the classless summer months ahead, I'm looking forward to spending more time researching, visiting independent bookstores, asking advice of seasoned and new booksellers alike, and generally diving into learning as much as possible about the industry.

BOOKSTORE

I'm not going to lie: In the last few months, as I've balanced moving, school, my business, and my general life, I've had some pretty intense flashes of What the hell do I think I'm doing? I think I fully realized how difficult this whole process will be, and that it will likely take much longer to achieve my goal than my naive original estimates. I also wondered if this whole thing was even feasible, or possible, and I panicked at the thought of being the girl who gave some big talk that, ultimately, she couldn't back up. I think that was part of the reason I stopped blogging for as long as I did. With everything that was going on in my life, I wasn't sure where my head was at with this whole thing. That is to say, the desire to move forward never changed, and neither did the conviction--at all--but the confidence had somehow taken a blow. I was scared, pure and simple.

What got my head back in the game was recognizing that moving forward with opening this bookstore (with any business) is a rational (not emotional) decision I needed to make and stand behind. Or not. And if not, I needed to be honest about it, to make it clear that, despite my desire and conviction remaining intact, it wasn't the right time to actualize this particular dream. But in the end, after all the silence and inner struggle and debate, I've decided to give this a real shot. To support my words, and my desire, and my conviction, with action.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so quick to shout from the cyber-rooftops that I'd be opening a bookstore in Laredo. After all, I knew the risks. I knew I'd be the girl who cried wolf (or, um, book) if things didn't work out, if I backed down. But I'm glad I did that shouting. I've met so many wonderful people who have been willing to share with me their experiences in opening bookstores, or who have given of themselves and their communities by donating books to the cause, or who have validated my entire reason for this venture by telling me, simply, "We need this." I look forward to meeting many more people who have so much to teach, and who will help make this bookstore thrive.

SOME FACTS

1. I'll be submitting the Pepsi Refresh grant application tonight, in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. If approved, the idea will be open for DAILY VOTING on July 1. I'll be talking more about this in the coming days.

2. I've made a big decision to lease a space instead of buying land and doing new construction. This will dial down start-up costs by 66%, which will drastically help speed up the process of opening. And, yes, I have a solid location in mind. It's at a major Laredo intersection, and the store will be approximately 6,000 square feet.

3. The bookstore will also feature free Wi-Fi access, comfortable seating, and a cafe selling coffee, pastries, and a few carefully selected wines and beers. I want the store to be a community gathering place, one that encourages lingering and learning. I'll also tailor the store to Laredo's unique demographic by highlighting books by Latino/a authors, selling classic and contemporary literature in English and Spanish, and providing a good selection of audiobooks for the many truck drivers who pass through Laredo on their routes. And let's not forget the workshops and events. The literacy rate, as we all know (and as the national media is so quick to point out) is a major problem in Webb County. I'm planning on hosting weekly literacy workshops for kids and adults, as well as creative writing workshops. And I hope to attract many authors, especially those who are Latino/a or who are from South Texas, to give readings and book signings. These are just a few of the MANY plans I have for the store. What else would you like see?

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ME

Accountability.

I want to keep you all informed. I want this process to be a dialogue between all of us who love books, read books, write books, and sell books; all of us who live in Texas, who have called Laredo home, who have resided in cities without easy local access to books; and everyone in between.

Thank you (again) all for your support!