Memories of B. Dalton and the Booksigning that Won’t Be





Me at age 5








And then, of course, came the demise of Borders.




Clockwork Dagger


  1. Aww, that made me really sad. I hope Hanford gets another bookstore, sooner rather than later and though it won’t be the same at all, that you’ll be able to have a signing there. If only to be all like ‘See Hanford? I totally made it!’ because you totally have.

    • I sure hope so. The nice thing is that whenever a store does open there, I’ll have books out and I can still do a signing.

  2. A really nice post, and it really hits home. I remember trips to B Dalton’s and crown books, both within biking distance of my home, as a kid. I never worked at either place, but I always loved going there for the same reasons you did. I also fantasized about where “my” books would sit on the shelves someday.

    The first time I lived in a town without any real bookstore (aside from a Christian one and the campus bookstore, which only sold textbooks) was Potsdam, NY in the late 90s. How could a town with four small colleges within a few miles of it not have a proper book store? I discovered Amazon when I lived there. But when I moved back to CA, I discovered how many bookstores had disappeared from towns here too, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. Even Sacramento has just one B and N in a large mall, and it’s becoming an airy, open place, uncluttered by bookshelves. 🙁

    Brick and mortar book stores are so much more than places to buy books, and it’s sad that the only places that seem to be able to support them anymore are large cities or very quirky, very intellectual towns.

    • It is very sad. I loved it when I was a kid and whatever mall we visited, there would be a B. Dalton or a Waldenbooks. Now you have to find the big box store center with a B&N, and yes, even in a large city you might only have a few of those. Plus, they will be on the fancier side of town.

  3. You should hold your book signing at Superior Dairy. The ice cream there is still epic and portions gigantic!

    • Mmm Superiors. I rarely have ice cream, but having a bit of Superiors chocolate chip is part of a visit home. I haven’t eaten at the actual store in like ten years.

  4. Ah, I have similar fond memories of now-gone bookstores (Those ladders were seriously amazing, right?!), but just think how incredible it will be to achieve that first part of your dream this week! Congrats!

    • Thank you! And yes, I think those old ladders had something magical about them.