I drove 21 miles for a used book today. The book cost $3.50. I’m sure the gas it took me to get to Second Chance Books and back cost me more than the book. I could have bought the book for a penny, plus $3.99 shipping, from Amazon. But I wanted it NOW! No, I needed it.

You see, I began reading Terry C. Johnston’s Carry the Wind waaaaay back in February. Along the way, I read a few other books, going back and forth, and finally finished this one last weekend. After 694 pages, it just ended. Yeah, yeah, the guy Bass and Paddock set out to kill was dead, but both of them were wounded and they were down to one pony and were about eight days away from the Crow village where they were wintering. It couldn’t just end like that. I had way too big an emotional investment in these characters. Fortunately, there are nine books about Titus Bass and the fur trapping era, an historical period I just can’t get enough of. I missed Bass and Paddock and really needed to know what happened to them next.

Sadly, Mr. Johnston is no longer with us, and while his books are not out of print, it’s hit or miss whether a bookstore will have many of them on the shelves. Naturally, the next book, Borderlords, was one I had a bit of trouble finding. Thus the 21-mile drive to what turned out to be a heaven of books. My wife has no idea how lucky our bank account is that Second Chance Books is so far away! They had John Steinbeck books I’d only read about and never actually seen. Amazing!

A few minutes ago I sat down with Borderlords and read the first couple of pages. It was like getting back together with old friends and picking up a rich, fascinating conversation right where we left off. Whew! Was I glad to get it, too. Bass and Paddock are still struggling through the snow toward the Indian village.

Speaking of meeting up with old friends, I had lunch with Gayleen and Paul today. They are critiquing the total revision of the book formerly called The Girls Nobody Wanted to Date (new title pending). Since earning her MFA from Vermont College, Gayleen has become a brutal editor! haha I mean that in a good way, of course.

I saw the book trailer for After Obsession today. It is incredible! Very, very creepy. I was wishing they’d done a whole movie. I can’t post it yet, but I’ll put it here when I can.